Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Health & Family Welfare Minister P Paiwang Konyak and others during the inspection of Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences and Research at Phriebagei, Kohima on June 20. (Morung Photo)
First MBBS batch from next August
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 21
Despite the passage of over three months since the submission, the proposal for the creation of 342 posts of teaching and non-teaching staff at the Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (NIMSR) is still awaiting "consideration and approval" by the State Government.
The Additional Advocate General (AG) of Nagaland informed the Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench during the resumption of the hearing of a batch of Public Interest Litigations (PILs) related to the Medical College project and other issues concerning the health sector that the proposal, is currently "under consideration."
In the submission before the Division Bench of Justices Ajit Borthakur and Kakheto Sema, the Additional AG sought some more time and requested that "instruction on the progress thereof" be granted.
Accordingly, the Bench granted an additional four weeks' time to the State of Nagaland to submit the compliance report.
It must be noted here that the State Government have sought extensions for the third time since it was first directed to provide instructions regarding the steps taken in response to the proposal.
For instance, during the hearing on March 15, 2023, the Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) Department, through its Secretary, filed an affidavit stating that the Department had written to the Government on March 3, 2023, regarding the creation of 342 posts of teaching and non-technical staff.
Consequently, the Additional Advocate General was directed to provide instructions on the steps taken pursuant to the letter written by the Department to the Government for the creation of 342 posts.
In three subsequent hearings, including June 21, the State respondent had sought extensions to file a compliance report on the steps taken.
Meanwhile, the Additional Advocate General informed the Bench on Wednesday that Nagaland's first medical college is scheduled to commence its first MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) program from August this year.
During an inspection of NIMSR on June 20, the H&FW Commissioner & Secretary, Y Kikheto Sema, also stated that it would start from the first academic session of 2023-2024.
In May, Nagaland H&FW Minister P. Paiwang Konyak had announced that the National Medical Commission (NMC) approved 100 MBBS seats for NIMSR, with 85% reserved for students from the State of Nagaland and 15% for the All-India quota.
