Raphael Warjri

The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Thursday asserted that recurring lapses in the country's education system have a disproportionate fallout on students from Meghalaya, citing the recent NEET-UG 2026 controversy as a reflection of deeper systemic shortcomings.

Addressing reporters, MPCC Chairman In-charge Social Media Langkupar War claimed that students in the state bear the brunt of examination irregularities and funding uncertainties due to Meghalaya's geographical challenges and dependence on centrally-sponsored education schemes.

Highlighting the scale of the impact, War said 4,164 candidates from Meghalaya were compelled to reappear for the NEET examination across 14 centres, underscoring the additional logistical and financial burden placed on students and their families.

He further flagged the state's heavy reliance on the Samagra Shiksha programme under the 90:10 funding formula and pointed to the limited penetration of digital infrastructure in schools, arguing that any disruption in national education policies has far-reaching consequences for learners in Meghalaya.

Describing the NEET-UG row as symptomatic of a wider crisis in the education sector, the Congress leader maintained that policy failures at the national level translate into heightened challenges for students in peripheral states, and called for corrective measures to ensure equitable access to quality education and examination processes.