By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 11: Prof Nalin Mehta, Director of the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), on Friday reaffirmed the institute’s adherence to recruitment guidelines stipulated by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
He clarified specific points regarding the ongoing recruitment process in the backdrop of concerns raised by the Khasi Students’ Union and the Hynniewtrep Youth Council.
In a statement, Prof Mehta said the advertised vacancies are not for fresh recruitment but for ‘backlog vacancies’ arising out of non-acceptance, non-joining, resignations, or non-availability of suitable candidates in various categories from previous recruitment cycles.
According to him, all recruitments at NEIGRIHMS are conducted scrupulously, and the present one is being done strictly according to the ‘Model Roster and Regional Roster’ mandated by DoPT guidelines, ensuring compliance with reservation policies for SC, ST, OBC, EWS, and PwDs.
Responding specifically to the concerns about local tribal representation, the NEIGRIHMS director said the advertisements for recruitment at the institute are published widely, in local newspapers as well as in the Employment News, as per established procedures, and also uploaded on the institute’s website to maximise local participation.
He mentioned that reservation for OBC and EWS is strictly in accordance with central government guidelines and judicial precedents.
Regarding concerns about gender ratio in Nursing Officer recruitment, Prof Mehta said there is no provision currently in the existing recruitment rules for 80:20 female-to-male ratio. He said NEIGRIHMS had requested the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for such a provision in July 2024, but the Ministry, in August 2024, advised against adopting such a ratio. A request with a very strong justification for the same has been sent to the Ministry a couple of days ago, he added.
On the issue of examination centres for the computer-based tests (CBT), he said HLL Life Care Limited, a central PSU, will conduct the CBT and all measures have been instituted to accommodate as many eligible local applicants as possible in the examination centres in Meghalaya.
Prof Mehta said candidates in excess of the capacity in Meghalaya, however, will have to take the test in the next nearby centres such as Guwahati.
Additionally, he said the examination this time around will be conducted by NEIGRIHMS through the above-mentioned agency and not through NORCET as was the case in the previous recruitment cycle.
He said NEIGRIHMS remains committed to transparent, fair, and inclusive recruitment processes while strictly adhering to central government rules and regulations.
Addressing another issue that was raised, he emphasised that robust mechanisms were in place at NEIGRIHMS to ensure the safety of patients, maintaining security within hospital premises, and providing a safe environment, particularly for female staff and patients.