Demands reserved seats be filled by BTs
Dimapur, August 31: The Eastern Nagaland College Students' Union (ENCSU) has alleged anomalies in the selection process of the candidates for MBBS and BDS seats under state quota by Department of Higher & Technical Education, and cautioned that till justice is given to the backward tribes, the union would take any step to safeguard their rights for which the department would be held solely responsible.
The union has also questioned the department as to how the counselling for 8 BDS seats was called on September 2 when only 5 candidates have qualified as per the results declared and when no 15% reservation of seats for BTs was maintained at BDS category.
ENCSU Chairman, Longre Chang and Jt. Secy, Nokchem Angth in a press note issued on behalf of aggrieved backward students of the Nagaland State Entrance Examination (NSEE) II 2016, said, the entry point for NSEE (as per the Medical Council of India) is 40% of marks in Physic, Chemistry, Biology at 10+2 for ST/SC/OBC candidates.
“Subsequently, the H&TE department has issued a notification NO. HTE/RESERV/23-1/2012(Pt) on 30th May, 2016 in partial modification of the earlier notification no HTE/RESERV/23-1/2012 dated 16th March, 2016 which clearly states that the 15% of the total seats per course are reserved to candidates belonging to BTs of Nagaland which also states that not more than one seat per tribe per course will be allotted to any BT in a year out of 15% reserved seats."The ENCSU however said, as per the results declared by the department on July 15, 50 candidates were selected for 45 seats of MBBS and 5 seats for BDS which came to 50 seats without any waiting list.
“And as per the govt. notification mention earlier, the backward tribes were to get 7 seats at MBBS as per the 15% reservation of total seats. But only 3 candidates (Chang-1, Chakkesang-1, Zeliang- 1) were accommodated at MBBS denying 4 seats which is a complete deprivation.”
The ENCSU said, it had subsequently submitted several representations demanding for justice in the seat allocation in MBBS and BDS as per 15% reservation of the seats.
“Moreover, the Department of H&TE has also overruled the Govt. Notification No. RCBT-5/87(pt.II) Dated 23rd July, 2008 and its partial modification which was issued on 4th Sept. 2015 which has totally banned the so called de-reservation system in the state for BTs.”
The union mentioned that under the clause 5(5) of Medical Council of India (MCI) regulations on graduate medical education, 1997 Amended upto 8th August 2016, it clearly stated that "Provided when sufficient number of candidates in the respective categories fail to secure minimum marks as prescribed in National Eligibility-cum- Entrance Test held for an academic year for admission to MBBS course, the Central Government in consultation with Medical Council of India may at its discretion lower the minimum marks required for admission to MBBS course for candidates belonging to respective categories and marks so lowered by the Central Government shall be applicable for the said academy only."
The union said, since the central government has given a liberty to the state government to conduct its own exam in the form of NSEE, the reserved seats should be filled up by the BTs only by lowering the minimum marks required.
