Institute suspends all recruitment processes; state delegation
to meet Union Health Minister
By Our Reporter
Shillong, May 5: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has temporarily suspended its indefinite sit-in outside the NEIGRIHMS administrative block after the institute’s authorities decided to put all recruitment processes on hold until pending issues are resolved.
The decision followed a meeting that was chaired by Cabinet Minister Paul Lyngdoh and attended by NEIGRIHMS Director Prof Nalin Mehta and other officials.
KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar said the protest, launched on May 1, was temporarily suspended as the state government assured to lead a delegation, comprising also KSU representatives, to Delhi to meet Union Health Minister JP Nadda.
The meeting in Delhi will aim to address concerns over the recruitment process at NEIGRIHMS, particularly issues affecting local candidates.
Lyngdoh said the KSU will be a part of the delegation that will apprise the ministry about various demands, especially the demand to rectify the shortcomings in the recruitment process, for the benefit of locals.
He stated that the NEIGRIHMS governing council cannot implement the 80:20 female-to-male reservation ratio, as it has not been granted the status of an Institute of National Importance (INI).
He stated that while the governing council lacks authority to make such decisions, it can initiate the process of applying for INI recognition.
Lyngdoh also revealed that KSU and NEIGRIHMS representatives will meet on Tuesday to resolve differences and formulate a unified draft concerning the plotting of the recruitment roster.
“The state government will take up the issues which are beyond the administrative control of NEIGRHIMS governing council,” Lyngdoh told the agitating members at NEIGRIHMS.
He said the leaders of KSU will meet NEIGRIHMS authority on Tuesday to deliberate on the issues the union highlighted and which the institute’s governing council can implement.
KSU president Lambokstar Marngar stated that the decision (to suspend the stir) was taken to allow the government to raise the union’s concerns with the Centre. He warned that the KSU will resume the protest if the demands are not met.
Marngar expressed disappointment that the NEIGRIHMS director did not bother to meet them and left for Delhi when they were agitating outside his office.
“The KSU managed to tutor NEIGRIHMS that it cannot ignore the rights of the local tribe since it is functioning in the state,” he said, clarifying that the protest was not aimed at disrupting the functioning of NEIGRIHMS but to hold a peaceful protest to pressure the authority to fulfill their demands.
The state government was reluctant to intervene due to NEIGRHIMS being a central institute, but finally decided to intervene due to pressure from the KSU, Marngar noted.
KSU Employment Cell chairman Reuben Najiar said not all issues were resolved during Monday’s meeting.
Some matters can be addressed directly by NEIGRIHMS, while others have to be taken up with the governing council or the ministry, particularly concerning increased reservation for ST candidates and other related issues, he said.
Najiar highlighted the union’s concern regarding the reduction of the age limit for applicants and the location of examination centres.
“Despite NEIGRIHMS being located in Meghalaya, candidates are required to take exams in places like Guwahati, Delhi, and other states. This poses a serious challenge for applicants from economically weaker sections,” he said.
He acknowledged that Meghalaya lacks the infrastructure for computer-based exams but proposed a practical solution: reverting to offline exams, as was done in the past, including in 2019.
Meanwhile, the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) on Monday urged the state government to consider involving them in any discussions and deliberations with the concerned authorities to address the issues arising out of the recruitment process in NEIGRIHMS.
In a letter addressed to Paul Lyngdoh, HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem said that the organisation had listed certain issues with regard to the recruitment process in the institute in a representation they had submitted to the NEIGRIHMS Deputy Director on March 24.
“We raised the issue and also protested against the adamant attitude of NEIGRIHMS in addressing our concerns for the benefit and welfare of our indigenous youth,” Synrem added.