KSU wants Health Minister intervention on NEIGRIHMS nursing recruitmentShillong: Displeased with the recent recruitment in the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has urged Health Minister, Dr M Ampareen Lyngdoh to to swiftly intervene on the matter.
In a letter addressed to the Minister, Lambokstarwell Marbgar, the KSU president, raised concerns regarding the recent selection process for 194 vacant Nursing Officer positions. The AIIMS, New Delhi, conducted the selection through NORCET-5, where 175 posts were allotted to male candidates while only 19 females were selected. Shockingly, only around 15 candidates from the indigenous tribal community were chosen, which greatly dismayed the Union.
“The profession of nursing, historically dominated by females, maintains an 80:20 ratio of female to male nurses in prestigious medical institutes. However, it’s disheartening to note the reverse trend at NEIGRIHMS,” Marbgar stated. “Furthermore, most selected candidates lack practical experience, relying solely on theoretical examination qualifications from their respective institutes, potentially impacting public healthcare services.”
Marbgar highlighted ongoing Group B and C recruitments conducted by an agency named HLL through CBT mode. He expressed concern that numerous local indigenous candidates couldn’t participate due to exam centers being situated in Guwahati, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, and Delhi. Additionally, he criticized the use of Hindi in questions for the Record Clerk position, deviating from prescribed guidelines and syllabi.
The Union found it unacceptable that Meghalaya candidates had to travel out of state for exams concerning positions within their own state, suspecting prejudiced allotment and denying rightful opportunities to indigenous tribal individuals.
Allegations were also made that screening committees were pressured to hastily issue appointment letters without proper verification, potentially leading to undeserving selections and favoritism.
“The Union questions the appropriateness of NORCET and HLL’s CBT examinations in benefiting the indigenous tribes and the state’s healthcare. Such lapses will inevitably lead to a drastic decline in NEIGRIHMS healthcare services,” Marbgar cautioned.
The Union advocated for future recruitments to be managed by NEIGRIHMS itself to ensure fairness and equal opportunities for local indigenous tribes. They insisted that ongoing Group B and C appointments should adhere strictly to due procedures and verifications.
Marbgar emphasized the urgent need for transparent, fair recruitment processes and cautioned against compromising healthcare standards due to administrative shortcomings.
