Outrage erupted among the student community in Manipur over the allocation of medical seats for Persons with Disabilities (PWD), Ex-servicemen, and Sports Quota students to a private medical college that allegedly charges exorbitant fees.
Students and their representatives are decrying the decision to assign these seats to Shija Academy of Health Science, where fees are set at a staggering Rs 5 lakh per annum, compared to the Rs 45,700 per annum charged by government medical colleges.
This contentious decision has sparked accusations of discrimination and violation of constitutional rights where the students argue that the allocation of seats for Horizontal Category students to a private institution with such high fees is a breach of their right to equal educational opportunity, as enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
Speaking at the All Manipur Muslim Students’ Organisation (AMMSO) office in Imphal on Sunday, Aquil Gufran, a NEET-UG selected candidate representing the affected students, voiced strong concerns about this issue.
“The current seat allocation to a private medical college for students under the Horizontal Category, despite them being on the state list, contravenes the quota system and their basic rights,” he stated.
Gufran emphasised that the students benefiting from horizontal reservation will not be able to bear the significant financial burden imposed by private institutions.
“Seats for PWD, Ex-servicemen, and Sports Quota students must be allocated to government medical colleges to ensure equal opportunity and affordability,” he demanded.
He also called for a thorough review of the fees charged by Shija Academy for students admitted under the state quota or for the standardisation of fees across both private and government medical colleges to prevent financial discrimination.
He further warned that failure to address these concerns could lead to widespread agitation in collaboration with student bodies such as AMMSO.
