Students Demand Merit-Based Recruitment
Kohima: Medical students in Nagaland staged a protest on Saturday against the state government’s move to regularise 280 contractual health workers, including 98 medical officers, dentists, Ayush practitioners, and nurses, who were appointed during the COVID-19 pandemic without undergoing competitive examinations.
The protest, led by the Nagaland Medical Students’ Association (NMSA), took place outside the Department of Health and Family Welfare office in Kohima. Students held banners and shouted slogans demanding fair, transparent, and merit-based recruitment through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC).
Students Cite Constitutional and Legal Concerns
The NMSA claimed that the government’s decision violates the Nagaland Health Service Rules, 2006, which mandate that Class-I gazetted posts be filled through NPSC exams. They argued the move undermines meritocracy and breaches Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution, which guarantee equality and equal opportunity in public employment.
NMSA president Pito S. Rochill emphasised that while they do not oppose COVID-era workers, any regularisation must follow proper competitive procedures. General Secretary Bonoto P. Zimo added that bypassing written exams for Class-I posts sets a dangerous precedent and threatens the integrity of Nagaland’s public health system.
Government Clarifies Legal Standing
The Nagaland Health Department stated that the regularisation aligns with a Gauhati High Court ruling dismissing NMSA’s earlier challenge to the Special Recruitment Drive (SRD) for COVID-19 medical officers.
Dr. Mereninla Senlem, Principal Director, clarified that the court found petitioners had no locus standi to challenge the policy and that the interim order suspending the SRD was vacated. Consequently, the Department began regularising 98 COVID-era medical officers through the Departmental Screening Committee as per the August 18 notification.
Despite this, the NMSA maintains that the court did not endorse the regularisation, and the matter remains sub-judiced due to an ongoing appeal.
Protest Set to Continue
Refusing to accept the government’s explanation, the NMSA announced the continuation and intensification of protests. Students plan to gather at 9:30 AM at Secretariat Bus Stand in Kohima before marching to the Health Department.
The association called the move arbitrary, unconstitutional, and harmful to future merit-based recruitment, noting that 98 contractual officers are being regularised outside the NPSC process, contrasting sharply with past recruitment through proper examinations.
NMSA leaders urged civil society, NGOs, and public supporters to join their demand for justice, transparency, and meritocracy, vowing to pursue peaceful protests and legal action if necessary.
