20 March, Kathmandu. Prime Minister Balen Shah, who is also the chairman of the Medical Education Commission, has decided to give an additional scholarship to Ekta Shah, who was injured in the Genji movement, in violation of the Medical Education Act.

This decision was made on the basis of the recommendations made by the Gauri Bahadur Karki Commission, which was formed to investigate the Genji Movement, in the last month of January.

The mandate of the Commission of Inquiry was to study and investigate the incident. But the Commission sent a letter to the then Sushila Karki-led government asking them to arrange the arrangements for MBBS studies.

The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Education were informed about the implementation of this letter. Based on this, the Sushila Karki-led government had given instructions to the Commission by making a decision from the Cabinet on March 1. Prime Minister Balen has now decided to implement the same directive through the meeting of the Medical Education Commission.

There is no provision in the Medical Education Act 2075 to admit people beyond merit. It is the government’s responsibility to manage the victims of the Genji movement, but the question has been raised when the decision was made by altering the law to the detriment of merit.

Dr. who has been constantly fighting for the merit system in medical education. Govind KC said that such a decision will spoil the good governance and merit system.

In the 24th meeting of the commission on Thursday, Shah, who was injured in the Genji movement, was proposed to teach MBBS under additional scholarship quota. The said subject was against the Medical Education Commission Act.

For MBBS studies, there is a system of seat allocation, entrance examination, publication of results and selection of students based on merit order.

All these processes have been completed for this year and the students have been selected. But by violating the law, the way has been opened for Shah to study under additional scholarship quota for MBBS studies.

According to a member of the commission, questions have been raised about the role of the Prime Minister regarding the decision-making process. But Prime Minister Balen Shah did not attend the commission meeting. After that, Education Minister Sasmit Pokharel, who is also the co-chair, presided over the meeting.

On Wednesday itself, the members of the commission were informed by the Prime Minister’s office that the chairman’s instructions for the meeting. A member of the commission says, ‘The proposal was submitted in the meeting after the direct instructions of the chairman.’

Another member of the commission also claims that the decision was made under the pressure of the Prime Minister.

“The meeting of the commission is not called without the instructions of the chairman. In the letter sent to us, it is mentioned that the meeting was called according to the chairman’s instructions,’ said the member to Online Khabar, ‘due to the pressure of the Prime Minister, the matter was presented in the meeting.’

Nisha Mehta, the Minister of Health and Co-Chairperson of the Commission, says that the decision was taken by the Council of Ministers of the Sushila Karki-led government.

‘That is nothing special. The previous government had already decided. The same proposal was put in the meeting of the commission,’ said Health Minister Mehta with Online Khabar.

Mehta did not want to give any answer to the question that why the commission’s law was changed and the proposal was made. ‘I have not understood anything about this. I understand,’ she said.

Commission Vice President Dr. Anjani Kumar Jha also argues that the decision of the Council of Ministers is kept under discussion.

On the question of why the proposal was put forward against the law of the commission, Dr. Jha says, ‘I have no comment on this matter.’

According to the members of the commission, if the previous government had wanted to implement it, then the process would have been started through the commission.

‘There was no obligation that the decision of the previous cabinet should be necessarily carried over by the current cabinet. If they wanted, they could have stopped or reviewed it,’ says the member.

‘A decision outside the law is not acceptable’

According to the Commission’s Act, scholarships are distributed based on merit and legal criteria. But the decision to give an extra seat to a person on the basis of being injured in the Genji movement has raised questions about the merit system itself.

According to the National Medical Education Act, 2075, only the Commission has the right to determine the number of seats in educational institutions. Section 17 of the Act states, ‘The commission shall determine a certain number of seats for universities, institutes and other educational institutions based on the criteria as determined every year.’

Similarly, in sub-section (3) of section 17, it is mentioned that ‘universities, institutes or other educational institutions must admit students selected through the entrance examination according to the matching system’.

The decision to provide scholarship for MBBS study to anyone by mixing the law and the established system is not appropriate. Shrikrishna Giri says.

The rights and arrangements related to medical education are clearly defined by the law. It is the commission’s responsibility to implement it. “Dr. Giri says.

Merit system should be strictly followed to ensure equal opportunity in medical education. “If the government tries to implement something outside the law, the vice president of the commission should be able to stop it,” said Dr. Giri says, ‘Such activities go beyond the system and the practice of making decisions may repeat old problems.’

The Act was implemented in 2075 after a great struggle to end the past injustices in the field of medical education.

Strict adherence to transparency, merit and legal process in a sensitive field like medical education is the long-term solution.

Similarly, medical education reformer Dr. Govind KC says that the subject raises questions about the established methods and systems in medical education.

Reminding that there is a clear legal provision that admission in all subjects, including MBBS, should be based on merit list only, he said that taking a decision against the rules when the students have been admitted for this year and teaching has already started is against the principle of the rule of law.

Respecting the sentiments of the young generation who are struggling for the rule of law, KC urged the Prime Minister not to break the law.

“Even if there is a situation where someone’s personal aspirations have to be fulfilled, legal and alternative ways can be found for that,” Dr. KC says, ‘According to the spirit and belief of the law, no one can go out and work.’

The Commission of Inquiry made the recommendation as follows

Ekta, who belongs to Sunsari Ghar, was shot in her left knee during the demonstration in Naya Baneshwar, Kathmandu, during the Genji movement on 23 August. She joined the MBBS entrance exam while still injured. In which 57.57 percent marks were obtained with 7,640 names.

To study medical education, one must pass the integrated entrance exam conducted by the commission.

Only after passing the exam will the admission process proceed according to the merit list. The commission decides the seat of the medical college.

However, there is no provision to get admission if you pass the exam but do not get into the allotted seats. This year, the Commission allocated 2,635 seats for medical education studies in various educational institutions.

Ekta did not get to study medicine as she was not included in this merit list. Then Ekta’s father wrote a letter to the Prime Minister on 27 November. In that letter, the government was requested to study under the scholarship quota as he was unable to study MBBS due to lack of funds.

The commission of inquiry led by Gauri Bahadur Karki regarding the incidents of August 23 and 24 questioned the family. At that time, Ekta’s father said that he also requested the government saying that his daughter is interested in studying MBBS. Based on that, the commission recommended to the government.

The commission of inquiry also wrote a letter of recommendation to the Prime Minister and Cabinet Office on 28 December. .

The government should make arrangements to admit Ekta, who is disabled due to a bullet hole, to study at the Nepal Medical College near her current residence, even though her teaching has already started, the letter said.

An inquiry commission was formed to collect and analyze the facts of the events, including demonstrations, violence, arson, vandalism, etc. during the Genji movement. But the Commission went beyond its authority and recommended to the Prime Minister that Ekta should be taught MBBS.

Based on the recommendation of the Inquiry Commission, the Council of Ministers on March 1 instructed the Medical Education Commission to arrange for Ekta to study medicine.

On March 3, the Ministry of Education sent a letter saying that the Ministry of Finance had already agreed on February 14 to raise the necessary funds to conduct scholarship studies.

According to this, the commission recommended teaching on scholarship in the 24th meeting held on March 18.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki was recommended to send Ekta to MBBS. But it didn’t work,’ says the source, ‘now it is going to be done through Prime Minister Balen.’