The state government will not cancel the contractual recruitment of nurses even as it has assured that new advertisement calling for permanent post will be issued by next month.
This was informed by the association of contractual nurses who were invited by Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh today to discuss on the recent recruitment of 325 posts of staff nurses on contractual basis, the examination which is scheduled to be held on July 27.
The association wants the government to cancel the recruitment and a memorandum was submitted on July 19 urging the minister to scrap the recruitment process.
One of the nurses, Lurstep Nongrum said they were informed by the minister that the government will have to go ahead with the contractual staff nurse recruitment examination even as she assured the delegation that the contract will end in 11 months.
The Health Department will advertise a total of 165 posts of staff nurses on permanent basis within this month or first week of August, the association were informed.
On issue of merit base recruitment and ensuring transparency in the process and public notice of qualified and unqualified candidates, the Health Minister assured the delegation that due process will be followed.
“On the timely declaration of results we were assured that it will be done within 72 hours from the date of examination,” Nongrum told reporters.
On the demand to extend the age of relaxation, Lyngdoh told the nurses that there needs to a debate on the matter since the government cannot do this only for recruitment in Health department.
According to Nongrum the age relaxation should be extended from the present 18 to 27 years to 18 to 30 years and 10 years extension in cases of SCs and STs.
He said that the nurses have been working in government owned hospitals for around 10-11 on contract appointments.
Nongrum suggested that the government should recruit nurses on permanent posts once a year.
