Nadda assures KSU delegation to resolve issues in a month
Shillong, Nov 1: Union Health Minister JP Nadda has assured the Khasi Students Union (KSU) of putting on hold any fresh recruitment at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) until resolution to issues raised by the KSU.
During his meeting with a KSU delegation in New Delhi, the union minister also assured to set up a committee to examine reservation and other legal issues, including Institute of National Importance status.
The KSU delegation led by its president Raymond Kharjana and general secretary Reuben Najiar submitted a memorandum to Health Minister raising “systematic dilution of indigenous representation and patient safety” at the central institute.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma was also present at the meeting, the KSU said.
“The Union Health Minister has assured us that he will set up a committee to look into the various policy matters (related to NEIGRIHMS)…,” Najiar said.
The committee will look into reservation issue, INI status, and various other legal aspects of recruitment in NEIGRIHMS, Najjar said.
“He stated that there will be no recruitment until all these issues are being resolved,” he added.
Najiar said the Union Minister also assured to try to resolve the matter within a month.
On KSU’s concern that the issue has been pending for past 17 months, he said, the Union Minister assured to fast track the matter.
“He has already had a governing council meeting last week with NEIGRIHMS authority and hopefully all issues will be resolved within a month,” Najiar said.
Alleged violation of 80:20 female to male ratio followed in AIIMS and other central institutes in recruitment of Nursing Officers was the main issued raised by the KSU before the Centre.
Of 194 selected, 175 were male nurses and only 19 were female and many among them were described by KSU as inexperienced leftovers from other institutes who had failed to get selected elsewhere.
They are now posted in sensitive departments like obstetrics, gynaecology, maternity and paediatrics where female staff are essential for dignity and comfort of women and children, the KSU said.
That imbalance, KSU alleged, has had serious consequences.
The KSU cited two molestation cases, including one involving a minor girl booked under POCSO Act, where accused male nursing officers were charge-sheeted but not suspended and continue in service.
In one instance, male staff staged a protest in front of the Director’s office in support of the accused, which the administration allowed, KSU said.
The Union also questioned new recruitment rules that require two-year experience from a 50-bed hospital, arguing that nurses serving for years in PHCs and CHCs across Meghalaya would be rendered ineligible as most such facilities do not have 50 beds.
The sudden reduction of upper age limit from 35 years to 30 years for Nursing Officers and 27 for Pharmacists, introduction of computer-based tests through an outsourced agency HLL despite shortage of computer centres in the state, and roster errors showing excess EWS backlog vacancies were flagged as moves that further squeeze local candidates.
On reservation, KSU said NEIGRIHMS advertising 27 per cent OBC and 15 per cent SC posts in a state that does not have an OBC list and has only about one per cent SC population effectively opens doors for outsiders to claim quotas, contrary to Supreme Court judgments that migrants cannot claim SC, ST or OBC status in another state.
Calling NEIGRIHMS a regional AIIMS in waiting, KSU urged Nadda to grant it Institute of National Importance status through an Act of Parliament to give it academic and administrative autonomy and help bridge healthcare disparities in the Northeast.
