Not willing to reappear for tests
SHILLONG: The government sponsored general nursing and midwifery passed students of the batches of 2010 to 2012 have urged the Health Minister to appoint them instead of putting them again to the selection process as is being planned by the Health department.
A delegation of students led by legislator Sanbor Shullai met Health Minister AL Hek in this regard on Monday.
The health minister referred the matter to be examined by the Additional Chief Secretary in charge Health.
According to the students, the Directorate of Health Services (MI) offered the eligible candidates, who are the residents of Meghalaya, to undergo a three and half years course in General Nursing and Midwifery and the selected candidates after their training had to sign a bond to serve the State government for a period of three years and during this period if any vacancies or sanctioned post occurs, they would be given appointment directly. The students in the memorandum submitted to the Health Minister said that it was in pursuant of the advertisements issued by the Director of Health Services (MI), that they had applied for the course and on being selected have successfully completed the training.
Out of the 220 students who have successfully completed the trainings, only around 86 students were appointed as officiating staff against sanctioned posts, which is contrary to the past instances where prior to 2013 batches, they were appointed directly against sanctioned posts or vacant posts..
They expressed concern over the stand of the Health department in not appointing the remaining candidates, even though they were bonded students of the Government, at a time when the various PHCs and CHCs in the State were facing shortage of staff.
However, Hek told reporters that the bond signed by the students does not mean that the government will have to appoint them as the agreement is conditional.
The students pointed out that the government is proposing for creation of around 300 posts for the General Nurses and Midwifery (GNM), however the mode of recruitment will be open for all, where even the bonded GNM are required to sit for exams.
“Without depriving the opportunities of the non bonded students, if the bonded students are to undergo the selection process it would amount to discrimination for a reason that past students were given direct appointment but the same is denied to the present students”, they pointed out.
The students said that they had taken up the matter with the Director of Health Services on November 6, 2014 but to no avail.
Hence, they urged the Health Minister to look into the aspirations of the government sponsored students by treating them in the same footing with those of the batches who had passed out prior to 2010.