Shillong, October 6: The Hynñiewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO) has written to Meghalaya Chief Secretary Shakil Ahamed, IAS, seeking urgent clarification on the legal and policy framework governing the allotment of MBBS State Quota seats in the state. The organisation highlighted that the issue has remained unresolved since Meghalaya attained statehood, due to the absence of a codified reservation policy for higher and professional education.
In its letter, HITO expressed concern over the ongoing ambiguity in how reservation is applied to MBBS admissions, stating that the lack of a formal rule or government notification has created serious uncertainty among students. The organisation warned that the situation is affecting the rights and future prospects of deserving candidates across the state.
Citing past legal proceedings, including WP(C) No. 122 of 2023 and Cont. Case (C) No. 19 of 2023, HITO pointed to a September 13, 2023, government communication, in which the state claimed that it follows the “principle and spirit of the Reservation Policy” through conventional practice for admissions to state-run institutions. However, HITO argued that such reliance on “conventional practice” — without a clear policy, rule, or official notification — has only deepened the confusion.
Given the urgency of the ongoing MBBS admission process, HITO has demanded immediate answers to three critical questions: the legal framework for implementing the quota, the existence of any official cabinet-approved policy or notification, and whether the government plans to formally codify a reservation policy to prevent future uncertainty.
“A clear and timely clarification will not only uphold transparency but also protect the interests of hundreds of students whose educational prospects now hang in the balance,” HITO stated in the letter, signed by its president Donbok Dkhar and legal secretary Shaniah Nongrum.
The organisation urged the government to take swift legal and administrative action to resolve what it termed a “long-standing ambiguity” that has plagued professional education in the state for decades.
