AIZAWL, July 19 - Counselling for students selected for the MBBS course under Mizoram quota was postponed today after hundreds of activists of state�s apex students� body Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) tried to storm into the higher and technical education department office at Chaltlang here where the counselling was conducted.
Four Chakma students, including Darshan Chakma, Nibir Chakma, Mini Chakma and Nibhir Tongchangya, were among the 38 students selected to pursue MBBS/BDS under the Mizoram quota through the National Eligibility-cum Entrance Test (NEET).
This morning, as Darshan Chakma, who held fourth position in the entrance test, was about to enter the counselling venue, the MZP activists tried to break the police barricade to enter the hall. Tussle between the police and the MZP activists ensued.
The officials of the higher and technical education department held parleys with the MZP leaders who remained adamant. The officials had to suspend the counselling. Thereafter, the MZP activists dispersed.
The bone of contention is the inclusion of Chakmas under category I of the Mizoram technical entrance examinations rules, which the MZP said was a blunder committed by the officials in the past. The MZP had also protested in 2015 for which the concerned department amended the rules to include �Zo-ethnic people who are native inhabitants� in the category 1 in the state�s selection criteria for college admissions.
However, the Gauhati High Court stayed the new rules after the Mizoram Chakma Students� Union challenged the new rules. Then, the Mizoram government had to go by the rules that placed �indigenous people of Mizoram� under category-1.
