Dimapur, August 31 (MExN): The Eastern Nagaland College Students' Union (ENCSU) has alleged that the Department of Higher & Technical has committed anomalies in the selection process of the candidates for MBBS and BDS seats of state quota in the NSEE II 2016.
Highlighting the entry point for NSEE (as per the Medical Council of India) is 40% of marks in PCB (Physic, Chemistry, Biology) at 10+2 for ST/SC/OBC candidates, the union informed that the H&TE department subsequently issued a notification NO. HTE/RESERV/23-1/2012(Pt) on May 30, 2016 in partial modification of the earlier notification no HTE/RESERV/23-1/2012 dated March 16, 2016 which stated that the 15% of the total seats per course are reserved to candidates belonging to Backward Tribes of Nagaland. The notification 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."
However, the ENCSU claimed that the results declared by the Department on July 15 is a “record in the history of any examinations” wherein exactly 50 candidates were selected – 45 seats of MBBS and 5 seats for BDS – “without any waiting list”.
The union further questioned the H&TE Department as to how counselling for 8 BDS seats has been 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.
“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 union maintained.
The ENCSU further informed that it has subsequently submitted several representations demanding “justice in the seat allocation” in MBBS and BDS as per 15% reservation of the seats.
As a result, there was a meeting on the issue at Chief Secretary's level on July 30 at Conference Hall of Chief Secretary where the Secretary Law and Justice, opined that as per the MCI guidelines in regards to the cut off marks, "the state may explore possibilities with the MCI/GOI for relaxation of marks in the entrance exam for BT Candidates" to fill up the reserved seats.
However, the Department has overlooked the opinion of the Law and Justice Secretary and “also murdered the very guidelines of MCI and its own notification” on 15% reservation of seats, “where no required minimum qualifying mark in the entrance examination is mentioned at all,” the ENCSU stated.
The union also pointed to the Department of H&TE overruling the Govt. Notification No. RCBT-5/87(pt.II) Dated July 23, 2008, and its partial modification issued on September 4, 2015, “which has totally banned the so called de-reservation system in the state for BTs”.
Moreover, the ENCSU stated, clause 5(5) of Medical Council of India (MCI) regulations on graduate medical education, 1997 Amended up to August 8, 2016, clearly states 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."
“Therefore, 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,” the ENCSU insisted.
In this regard, the union on behalf of aggrieved Backward Students of the NSEE II 2016, appealed to all right thinking citizens to support in uplifting and improving educational and social condition of Backward Tribes of the state.
Till justice is given to the backward tribes of the state, the Union will take steps to safeguard our rights, for which the department will be held sole responsible, it warned.
