Tura, September 4, 2026: Five organisations from Garo Hills have urged Meghalaya Education Minister Shri Lakmen Rymbui to ensure greater transparency, fairness and adequate advance notice in the screening, counselling and seat-allocation process for admission to medical courses in the state.
In an open letter issued on Friday, the Association for Democracy and Empowerment (ADE), A•chik Youth Welfare Organisation (AYWO), Federation for A•chik Freedom (FAF), Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), and Garo Students’ Union (GSU) raised concerns over the manner in which notifications and announcements related to medical admissions are communicated.
The organisations said many students seeking admission to medical courses come from remote and far-flung areas of Meghalaya. They therefore urged the Education Department to issue notifications concerning screening tests and counselling at least 3–5 days in advance.
They said adequate advance notice is essential for students and their families to make arrangements for transportation, accommodation, finances and other logistical requirements. Short-notice announcements, they cautioned, could cause considerable hardship to students travelling from remote areas and may result in eligible and deserving candidates being unable to appear for the screening test.
The organisations also appealed to the authorities to release important and time-sensitive notices during official working hours rather than late in the evening or after working hours. This, they said, would give students and their parents or guardians sufficient time to understand the information and take necessary action. On seat allocation, the organisations stressed that seats, particularly in the best available or most preferred medical colleges, should be allotted strictly in accordance with NEET merit, the applicable reservation policy, roster system, eligibility criteria and the respective category of candidates.
They emphasised that transparency and fairness throughout the screening, counselling and seat-allocation process are essential to maintain the confidence of students and the public in the medical admission system. The five organisations urged the Education Department to ensure that every deserving candidate receives a fair and equal opportunity and that the admission process is conducted strictly according to the prescribed rules and procedures.
The open letter was signed by Fremiush D Sangma, Additional General Secretary of ADE; Sengbath Ch Marak, President of AYWO; Brinbal M Sangma, President of FAF; Murphy D. Shira, Working President of FKJGP, Garo Hills Zone; and Vivian Richard G Momin, General Secretary of GSU.
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