SHILLONG, May 2: The North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) on Friday said it has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with a strong recommendation for the implementation of 80:20 female-to-male ratio in nursing recruitment as followed by premier institutions like AIIMS and PGIMER.
Clarifying its position in light of concerns regarding the ongoing recruitment process for nursing posts, NEIGRIHMS Director Prof Nalin Mehta said the recommendation was made after careful consideration of gender balance in the healthcare workforce and response to representations received from various stakeholders.
He further said the institute has forwarded all letters, representations and communications received from local organizations, Members of Parliament and state’s Health Minister to the Ministry for review and necessary action. These representations include demands related to local reservation criteria, an increase in age limits, conduct of recruitment examination by NEIGRIHMS itself, and holding the examination in OMR format.
Mehta said some of these matters fall within the purview of the Ministry and are not delegated to the director or the institute administration. NEIGRIHMS acts strictly as per the instructions, orders, and policy directions received from the Ministry, he added.
“We will await further guidance and approval from the Ministry on these matters,” the NEIGRIHMS director said.
He also clarified that the male Nursing Officers who joined NEIGRIHMS through the last NORCET recruitment were not selected due to being lower in merit or as “leftover” candidates.
On the contrary, he said several of them had higher ranks but were allocated to NEIGRIHMS due to the 80:20 female-to-male recruitment ratio being enforced at AIIMS institutions.
“As a result, female candidates with lower ranks were selected for AIIMS, while higher-ranking male candidates were posted to NEIGRIHMS under the central allocation mechanism,” Mehta stated.
He added that the institute remains committed to transparency, fairness, and adherence to government norms in all its recruitment processes. He urged all stakeholders to wait for the official communication from the Ministry and refrain from actions that may disrupt institutional functioning.
Meanwhile, the NEIGRIHMS Faculty Association (NFA) expressed concern over the protests held within the premises of the campus over the last few months.
The NFA in a statement on Friday said while it recognises the right to peaceful expression and dialogue in a democratic society, the choice of venue and manner of protest raise serious concerns.
“The campus is a shared space where people come seeking healing, learning, and safety. Any activity that hampers clinical care, disturbs the academic environment, or poses potential law and order challenges must be viewed with seriousness. We are concerned that such demonstrations—particularly when they result in the disruption of administrative functioning or restrict free movement may indirectly compromise the institute’s mission and obligations to the public,” the NFA said.
The association said such activities within a healthcare and academic institution will inevitably create an atmosphere of tension and unease, indirectly impact patient care, disrupt the sanctity of teaching and learning, and pose a potential threat to the overall law and order within the campus. The presence of agitations within the hospital and academic environment affects not just faculty members, but also students, patients, and staff, many of whom are already in vulnerable situations, the NFA said.
“NEIGRIHMS stands for excellence in patient care, education, and research, and we believe such protests do not belong inside the campus and are detrimental to the institute’s growth and wellbeing. The institute is already facing shortage of faculty and such disruptions in the middle of a faculty recruitment cycle will deter many quality candidates from joining NEIGRIHMS,” the statement said.
The NFA urged all stakeholders to preserve the integrity of the campus environment and engage in constructive dialogue through appropriate channels in the larger interest of the institution and the people they serve.
