Demands selection via NPSC CTSE
Kohima, August 21 (MExN): The Nagaland Medical Students Association (NMSA) has expressed its dismay and strong objection to a notification issued by the Department of Health and Family Welfare on August 20 regarding the regularisation of doctors via departmental examination.
The notification mandates a written departmental examination on August 26 and a viva voce on August 27 and 28 for the regularisation of doctors appointed on a contractual basis during the COVID-19 pandemic, it said.
The NMSA stated that the decision not only contravenes established service rules but also undermines the integrity of the recruitment process for Class 1 Gazetted Officers.
Positions of such significance, equivalent to Extra Assistant Commissioners (EAC) and Sub-Divisional Officers (SDO), should rightly fall under the jurisdiction of the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) Combined Technical Services Examination (CTSE), it asserted.
The proposed departmental examination disregards the principles of meritocracy and equal opportunity, which are fundamental to fair public service recruitment, it added.
Despite multiple appeals from the NMSA for a transparent and competitive NPSC CTSE written and viva voce examination, these requests have been met with indifference, the Association stated. It further argued that the disputed notification disregards the efforts and aspirations of countless medical graduates who have diligently prepared for competitive exams, depriving them of their rightful opportunity to compete on a level playing field.
Many Naga medical graduates served in challenging conditions across the country during the pandemic without seeking or receiving special considerations, the NMSA pointed out.
“It is, therefore, inequitable to conduct a special departmental recruitment process that benefits a select few at the expense of the broader medical fraternity,” it added.
The Association also highlighted that while several other states were severely impacted by the pandemic, they have not resorted to such irregular practices for appointment regularisation. Instead, they have maintained the integrity of their recruitment processes through standard CTSE exams, it maintained.
Thus, the NMSA termed the Nagaland government's decision to restrict examination opportunities to only the 98 contractual doctors appointed during the pandemic as an “alarming departure from established norms and a significant threat to the careers of countless deserving medical professionals.”
To support its point, the NMSA noted that between 2010 and 2021, the NPSC conducted examinations for only 87 Medical Officer posts that were subsequently regularised. Thus, the decision to regularise 98 posts through a departmental examination is a deeply concerning departure from this established process, it said.
This is particularly alarming given the substantial increase in the number of medical graduates in Nagaland, especially following the establishment of the state's first medical college, which now accommodates 155 government-sponsored MBBS students and 12 BDS students annually, it added.
In this connection, the NMSA urged the government to withhold the scheduled departmental examination on August 26 and uphold the principles of fairness and meritocracy. Instead, it called for all sanctioned Medical Officer posts currently occupied by COVID-19 contractual doctors to be advertised and filled through the NPSC CTSE, providing equal opportunity for all eligible candidates.
The Association also appeals to the broader public, student bodies, civil society organisations, and community leaders to stand with the NMSA in rejecting the “unjust decision.”
Only an equal, free, fair, competitive, and transparent process can ensure the selection of the most qualified candidates to serve the community and deliver the high-quality healthcare that the people of Nagaland rightfully deserve, it added.
The NMSA has informed that a written representation outlining its grievances has been forwarded to all the appropriate authorities for their consideration.
