50 more MBBS seats under state quota at Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, sponsored to help financially weak students

Gangtok: In an attempt to provide financial help to economically weaker medicos of the state, the Sikkim Government has decided to sponsor the education of the 50 selected MBBS students at Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS) under State Quota. The Directorate of Technical Education, Department of Education, Government of Sikkim, have already issued nomination letters for MBBS State quota seats.

Shri Bhim Thatal( Special Secretary Education Department) expressed gratitude to the State government for arranging 50 fully free MBBS seats thus taking the total number of reserved seats under the state quota to 80 with the previously allotted 30 full payment MBBS seats for local students. He further added, " It is a first of its kind initiative in the State. When the central government and the National Medical Commission approved 80 MBBS seats, the state decided that as many as 50 MBBS students will be sponsored by the state government. Earlier, parents and guardians had to pay more than Rs 10 lakh annually."

These additional 50 seats will be free of cost for students from Sikkim who qualify for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the State Government will pay all expenses of the course, excluding the accommodation expenditure, he added.

Terming the event as a huge achievement for Sikkim, Shri Thatal said that this development under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Prem Singh Tamang will benefit students from financially weaker backgrounds and open opportunities for them to pursue a career in the medical field while also preventing drop-outs due to financial constraints. He extended best wishes to the 50 selected students for their future endeavors and urged them to make the most of the opportunity being provided by the State Government.