Tripura: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha announced that the Tripura Santiniketan Medical College (TSMC) has been granted permission to commence its MBBS course for 150 students starting the 2024-25 academic year. The approval comes from the National Medical Council (NMC) and is complemented by a Consent of Affiliation from Tripura University. In response to a query by Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman, Saha highlighted that the college, located in Ranirkhamar, West Tripura, will reserve 50% of the MBBS seats for local students. Despite the positive development, concerns have been raised regarding the high fees associated with the course. Barman criticized the reported fee of approximately Rs 1 crore, which he argued is prohibitive for many deserving students in the state.
Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury also questioned the process by which the private medical college was approved, expressing concerns over transparency. Chief Minister Saha defended the decision, emphasizing the government’s commitment to creating a favourable business environment. He assured that the trust running the college was thoroughly vetted for its financial stability. Additionally, the state government has agreed to allocate space at IGM Hospital for training purposes, and Saha promised ongoing oversight to address any potential issues.