SHILLONG: The High Court of Meghalaya has asked NEIGRIHMS to initiate the recruitment process in case of vacancies so that the hospital may not suffer for want of doctors.
The division bench of the High Court was responding to a PIL filed by Pawan Sharma regarding non-adherence to the time limit for holding examinations and interviews for the posts under direct recruitment.
In the order, the court observed that the respondents (Centre and NEIGRIHMS) had not adhered to the time limit prescribed in the office memorandum issued on March 20, 2017.
However, the court was informed that recently the selection process has been concluded and shortly appointment orders will be issued.
“Therefore, we hope and trust that the selection process is taken to its logical conclusion within a period of two weeks positively”, the order said.
Through the office memorandum issued by the Union Ministry of Personnel, P.G. & Pensions Department of Personnel & Training, North Block, New Delhi on January 11, 2016, it has been highlighted that there are instances of a long time lag between the date of advertisement for the vacancy and date of examination or interview.
“Such a delay denies the opportunity to fresh candidates, who in the meantime become eligible. All the ministries and departments have been impressed that while initiating the recruitment process to fill vacant posts by the method of direct recruitment to ensure that the entire recruitment process starting from advertisement notice is completed within a period of six months”, the order said.
Based on the office memorandum, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare department had also issued office memorandum on March 20, 2017 impressing upon all the concerned departments that vacancies by direct recruitment will be filled up within a period of six months.
Two advertisement notices were issued – one on May 1, 2017 and another on July 6, 2017 – inviting applications for filling up the post of professors, associate professors and assistant professors. The lists of eligible candidates have been prepared on October 25, 2017 but till date, the selection process has not been completed. Noticing the uncertainty and its impact on the functioning of NEIGRIHMS, the petitioner filed the PIL.
However, the Court refused to quash the selection process, while admitting that the process of selection was to be completed within a period of six months.
“Non-adherence to the time limit does not provide any ground for quashing the process of selection so initiated”, the court said.
