The chief minister said his government will pay the fees of students from poor families.
A quota will be provided to students of government schools in medical colleges in Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday. He was speaking at a program at Lamta in Balaghat district.
"Admissions to medical colleges are done on the basis of NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) exam. We will give reservation to students of government schools, irrespective of caste, in medical studies,” Chouhan said.
Asking the gathering whether students from poor families and the children of farmers should become doctors or not, Chouhan said the new quota will ensure that a certain number of students from government schools get into medical colleges.
“Government school children will have to be given protection, otherwise they will fall behind compared to those studying in private schools,” he said.
The chief minister also reiterated that the state government will pay medical college fees of students from poor families.
The state government has also been improving government schools, he said citing the opening of CM Rise Schools.
He also announced that a medical college would be started at Balaghat.
Assembly elections are due in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh this year.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)