In a significant effort to enhance educational fairness, the Assam cabinet approved two pivotal initiatives on Monday. These include amendments to existing rules, enabling permanent residents who studied outside Assam to qualify for the state quota for MBBS and BDS seats, along with a financial allocation of ₹130 crore to provide bicycles to over 300,000 students in Class IX to help reduce dropout rates.
The primary reform involves an essential amendment to rule 3(1) of the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Rules, introducing a provision that allows candidates who are permanent residents of Assam but have studied outside the state to be eligible for admission under the state quota. This eligibility is contingent upon certification that their last three generations are permanent residents of Assam by the relevant district commissioners.
Additionally, the cabinet decided to eliminate clause 3(1)(c) of the rules, which mandated that students must have studied in Classes VII to XII within Assam to qualify for MBBS and BDS admissions. The cabinet noted that this clause excluded eligible candidates who are authentic permanent residents of Assam but completed their education outside the state due to factors such as parental job transfers or better educational opportunities. By removing this clause, the government ensures that these students can access MBBS and BDS courses under the state quota, provided they verify their residency through their ancestry.
In another progressive move, the cabinet extended state quota eligibility to the Moran community residing in Arunachal Pradesh, aligning them with their Assamese counterparts for MBBS and BDS admissions starting from the 2026 academic year. The cabinet also emphasized the importance of the bicycle scheme, stating that providing bicycles to every Class IX student will significantly reduce dropout rates, thus improving retention and the transition from secondary to senior secondary education.
Moreover, the cabinet approved the introduction of the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) for government employees under the National Pension System (NPS). This scheme aims to offer greater financial security in old age, protecting beneficiaries from market volatility and establishing a more stable retirement framework.
In an effort to uplift economically disadvantaged workers, the cabinet announced the minimum pay scale for 1,231 muster roll, casual, and fixed pay employees. This includes an incremental salary increase of ₹16,400 for 99 Grade-IV employees from the general administration department, effective prospectively.
The cabinet also authorized the inclusion of 10,186 community cadres from the Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ASRLM), including those from the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), under the Orunodoi 3.0 Scheme starting October 7. This expansion will incur an additional monthly cost of ₹1.27 crore, reinforcing the government’s commitment to rural empowerment.
In a compassionate decision, the Assam government will provide ₹5 lakh each to the families of nine Assamese workers who tragically lost their lives in Tamil Nadu. This financial support will be distributed from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, complementing the compensation provided by their employers.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/assam-extends-medical-quota-to-its-children-educated-outside/articleshow/124346461.cms
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Publish Date: 2025-10-06 23:34:00
