Kohima, August 30: Medical students under the banner of the Nagaland Medical Students’ Association (NMSA) staged a protest in Kohima on Saturday against the state government’s decision to regularise 280 contractual health workers without competitive examinations.
The protesters condemned the August 18 notification that allows the regularisation of COVID-era appointees—including medical officers, dentists, Ayush practitioners, and nurses—through departmental screening instead of the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC).
Calling the move “illegal and arbitrary,” NMSA president Pito S Rochill said it violates Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution and the Nagaland Health Service Rules, 2006, which mandate merit-based recruitment.
The association demanded an immediate rollback of the notification and insisted that all appointments in the health sector must go through transparent examinations conducted by the NPSC.
While clarifying that they respect those who served during the pandemic, NMSA leaders stressed that regularisation should not bypass established rules. They also accused the Health Department of secretly conducting interviews without public notification, undermining transparency.
The NMSA warned that it will continue peaceful demonstrations and explore legal remedies if the government fails to reverse its decision.
