DIMAPUR, AUGUST 24 (MExN): The Senior Citizens Association of Nagaland (SCAN) has expressed its support for the Nagaland Medical Students' Association (NMSA) in opposing the government's decision to bypass the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) for the recruitment of Medical Officers (MOs).
SCAN, comprising retired professionals from various fields, questioned the rationale behind the Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) department's decision to conduct a written exam and viva voce for regularizing doctors who were initially appointed on a contractual basis during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A press release from SCAN emphasized that the established service rules and the recruitment process for Class I gazetted officers should not be undermined. They argued that the medical profession, being one of the noblest and most prestigious, requires adherence to the normal recruitment process through the Combined Technical Services Examination (CTSE) conducted by the NPSC.
The association also pointed out that the H&FW department's plan to regularize 98 doctors, a number exceeding the 87 recruited through NPSC's CTSE from 2010 to 2021, lacks transparency and proper justification. SCAN further stated that while the contractual appointments made during the pandemic were necessary, they should not automatically lead to regularization, drawing a parallel to soldiers conscripted during war who do not continue to serve after the conflict ends.
In their statement, SCAN underscored the importance of maintaining a fair and transparent selection process to ensure that only the most qualified individuals are entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining the state's healthcare system. The association urged the state government and the H&FW department to reconsider their decision, highlighting the need to uphold the prestige and status of the Medical Officers.
