With NMC approval to 100 MBBS seats, Nagaland to get its first medical college

The medical college will begin its journey with 100 MBBS students from the academic session 2023-24.

Addressing a joint press conference at the medical college Kohima site today, Minister for Health and Family Welfare department, P Paiwang Konyak said “We received the approval for a 100 MBBS seat medical college from the National Medical Commission, Medical Assessment & Rating Board (NMC, MARB) on Tuesday."

He said, the dream of the people of having a medical college in the state has come a reality today. Konyak said, the department would send the acceptance letter to the NMC and within a week time it is expected to receive a “Letter of Permission” from the MARB for the 100 medical seats.

He informed that the structure of the civil works of the college has been completed for the students who will be joining the MBBS seats. The Health Minister also assured that the academic session 2023-2024 of the medical college would be made functional by June or July. Commisioner and Secretary Y Kikheto Sema informed that by tomorrow, it will send the acceptance letter to NMC.

Of the 100 seats, 85 would be for students of Nagaland while the remaining 15 will be reserved for aspirants from other states. He said, the state is getting the best of the faculty members throughout the length and breadth of the states.

Highlighting on man power status, Kikheto informed that a total of 92 have appeared during the first and second phase of the interview conducted in the month of February and March this year, wherein 32 got selected, of which 29 have given consent of willing to serve in the medical college.

He further informed that 64 candidates appeared for the third phase interview conducted on 14th and 15th April for which the results will be declared on 20th and 21st of this month.

Kikheto also informed that a committee is working on the third grade post and others, and very soon they will be submit to the governing council and the cabinet for approval.

Principal Director Health department Dr. Vibeituonuo Mepfuo and Director and Dean of NIMSR, Dr. Soumya Chakraborty also addressed the press conference.

In its LOI, MARB of NMC member Dr JL Meena mentioned "The Board examined the assessor’s report dated January 10 for assessing the availability of infrastructure facilities of the College, laboratories, library, Hostels, Hospital and availability of the faculty, their experience, publications and residents/tutors, nursing and paramedical staff available with other facilities available at NIMSR, Kohima, under the Nagaland University, Kohima, for starting of MBBS course for the academic year 2023-24."

“The present proposal has been approved by the MARB after examination of the assessor’s report dated January 10, 2023, which was followed by physical verification surprise assessment on March 27, 2023 and an undertaking provided by the Commissioner & Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department, that all the deficiencies will be fulfilled by May 31, 2023 as per NMC norms.

In view of the above approval of 100 MBBS seats, the Commission has decided to obtain undertaking/essential documents for issue of Letter of Permission for starting/increase in seats for the academic year 2023-24, the MARB letter stated while asking the State to send the acceptance letter within one week to enable the MARB to issue Letter of Permission for the academic year 2023-24," reads the LOI, Nagaland page reports.