NMC approves 50 MBBS seats at Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences
New Delhi: In a major development, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved 50 MBBS seats in Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS) for Sikkimese students annually.
These 50 MBBS seats will be free of cost for students who top National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the state government will pay all related expenses of the course, the officials informed PTI.
With this, the number of reserved MBBS seats in the state quota has increased to 80 and the admissions for the 50 allotted seats will begin this semester.
Sikkim has currently only 1 private medical college i.e. Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS).
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Welcoming the decision, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang called it a "big achievement" and said that the approval letter has been received and an MoU signed between the Sikkim government and SMIMS in this regard.
He said that the state government was trying for this allotment for some years now and the new development will benefit students from financially weaker background.
"Earlier, parents and guardians had to pay around Rs 16-17 lakh annually, which amounted to around Rs 1 crore by the time their wards completed the MBBS course. Many of the deserving candidates had to drop out due to the high fees. But now, the state government will sponsor the education of the 50 selected students," he said.
Admission to the 50 seats will begin from this semester.
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