Shillong, May 7: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has called for an immediate emergency meeting of the Governing Council of the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) to resolve critical issues surrounding the recruitment process for nurses at the institute.
In a letter addressed to NEIGRIHMS Director Dr. N. Mehta, KSU President Lambokstarwell Marngar urged the institute to expedite the process of convening the Governing Council to address pressing concerns.
The demand follows a meeting on May 5, chaired by Cabinet Minister Paul Lyngdoh, where NEIGRIHMS authorities and the KSU agreed to suspend the ongoing recruitment process until all issues raised by the union are resolved.
The KSU emphasized that NEIGRIHMS should independently address issues within its authority, while matters requiring higher intervention should be escalated to the Governing Council or the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
The KSU chief requested the institute to clearly delineate which issues it can resolve internally and which need to be forwarded for further action.
The student union’s demands stem from an indefinite sit-in protest, highlighting several grievances, namely:
-Restoring the age limit for nursing officer recruitment to 35 years consistent with previous norms
-Implementing an 80:20 female-to-male ratio for nursing officer positions
-Removing the requirement for experience certificates from 50-bedded hospitals
-Conducting recruitment exams offline within Meghalaya, rather than in other states
-Reviewing the roster register and revoking backlog vacancies for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)
-Maintaining previous qualification criteria for storekeeper positions
Additionally, the KSU has advocated for NEIGRIHMS to conduct its own recruitment examinations in the future, extend reservations for Group B posts, and engage with stakeholders to refine amended recruitment rules to prevent future complications.
The union’s demands underscore the need for transparency and fairness in the recruitment process, with a focus on addressing local concerns and ensuring equitable opportunities for candidates in Meghalaya.
