Meghalaya: ‘Shillong medical college to open by September 2025’

SHILLONG: The Shillong medical college in Meghalaya is expected to become operational by September 2025, and the Tura Medical College by 2026-2027, according to state health minister Ampareen Lyngdoh.

This announcement followed a review meeting chaired by Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma on Friday (May 17), focusing on the establishment of medical colleges in the state.

Meghalaya health minister Ampareen Lyngdoh plans to visit Uttar Pradesh to study a model where the Indian government assisted in setting up six medical colleges, which could inform similar initiatives in Meghalaya.

Tura Medical College Progress

Meghalaya health minister Ampareen Lyngdoh provided updates on the Tura Medical College, projecting its operational status by 2026-2027.

“We are addressing significant infrastructure development requirements. Construction is progressing well, though we faced some delays. CM Conrad Sangma has resolved issues with departments like PHE, power, and PWD,” she said.

Shillong Medical College Advancements

On the Shillong Medical College, Lyngdoh stated, “We are ahead of schedule and progressing rapidly. If all goes well, the college should be functional by September 2025.”

She emphasized the need to expedite various technical aspects, such as faculty building, service rules for doctors, and aligning with models for teaching and non-teaching staff.

Faculty and Affiliation

The Meghalaya health minister highlighted the importance of building a qualified faculty and updating service rules to allow doctors to function as educators.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) still needs to inspect the proposed Shillong Medical College, and affiliation issues are being addressed.

“We are considering affiliation with the Captain Williamson Sangma State University instead of NEHU due to delays,” she noted.

USTM Medical College Project

Regarding the proposed medical college at USTM in Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya, Lyngdoh mentioned significant progress on the PA Sangma International Hospital, a public-private partnership (PPP) model. “The technical signing of MoUs and other arrangements are underway. This project has a high probability of becoming operational soon, benefiting the local student community,” she said.