Shillong, Dec 9:The state cabinet on Tuesday decided to formally confirm the appointments of bonded nurses and bonded paramedical staff who were engaged between 2008 and 2012, bringing long-awaited clarity to a contentious issue affecting over 220 personnel.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the decision came after a detailed review by the cabinet and the Health Department. Earlier, the government had announced that all ad hoc appointments made after 2007 would be advertised afresh as they did not follow standard recruitment procedures. The bonded nurses were initially included in that list.
However, Sangma said further examination showed that the appointments made during 2008–2012 followed a specific selection process unique to bonded nurses, which included signing legally binding bonds before receiving appointments. “After going through all documentation and based on interactions with the bonded nurses, we found that procedures were followed. Hence, the cabinet has decided to confirm and recognise these appointments,” he said.
Explaining the distinction, the Chief Minister noted that ad hoc employees are those appointed against sanctioned posts without any formal recruitment process. Because of their status, all ad hoc appointments made post-2007 required fresh recruitment as per a Supreme Court ruling.
“But the bonded nurses fall under a different category. There was a selection process, there were bonds signed and appointments were made on that basis. This is completely different from cases where individuals were simply appointed without any process,” Sangma clarified.
He added that while the process followed at the time was not conducted through the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC), District Selection Committee (DSC), or the Medical Recruitment Board, it was nevertheless a documented and legally supported procedure. The bonding system, which existed until 2012 and was abolished in 2013, formed the basis for the government’s decision.
With the cabinet’s approval, the recruitment process for these posts will not be re-advertised and the services of the bonded nurses and paramedics from that period stand officially recognised.
