Exam for nursing course to be held as planned: Hek

SHILLONG: Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek on Wednesday stated that the State Government is still firm on its decision to conduct the written test for nursing students which is scheduled to take place on June 24.
The All Meghalaya Bonded Auxilary Nursing Midwifery students had asked the State Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek to call off the written tests immediately as it was unfair for the Directorate of Health Services to conduct the written test for passed out nurses.
However, Hek said that the Government has every right to conduct examinations and interviews as per the recruitment rules of nursing 2008. “The decision of the Government is to conduct the written tests,” he said adding that advertisements have also been floated for the written tests.
Stating that the Government is aware of the concerns of the Bonded Auxilary Nursing Midwifery students, Hek said that he will have a proper and detailed study on the recruitment rules and their grievances.
Reacting to a query about the allegations that no candidate for the post of ANM who have duly passed their examinations have been absorbed by the Government since the year 2008, Hek said that the Government could not absorb them since there was no regular sanctioned post.
According to Hek, many of the students were absorbed under contractual basis when some posts were created under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
The All Meghalaya Bonded Auxilary Nursing Midwifery (ANM) students wanted the State Government to give preference to the bonded nurses when it comes to job and not to conduct any interview or written test but to appoint them straight away on merit and batch wise basis.