New Delhi: In a major development aimed at defusing growing regional tensions, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda met with a high-level delegation from the Khasi Students' Union (KSU) alongside Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in New Delhi.
The emergency meeting was called to address escalating local grievances and widespread protests regarding the controversial recruitment policies at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) in Shillong.
Following intense discussions, the Union Health Minister officially committed to establishing a special high-level committee tasked with thoroughly evaluating the institute’s contested policy changes and reservation frameworks.
Consequently, the NEIGRIHMS administration has placed the ongoing controversial nursing recruitment process completely on hold pending the panel's final decision.
KSU General Secretary Reuben Najiar expressed cautious optimism after the central intervention, stating that the student body expects a concrete and fair resolution within the promised timeframe. The KSU has fiercely argued that the latest rules heavily disadvantage local indigenous candidates.
Among the primary grievances presented to the Union Minister, the KSU is demanding the immediate restoration of the upper age limit to 35 years instead of the newly enforced 30-year cap, alongside the abolition of the mandatory two-year experience requirement in 50-bedded hospitals.
Furthermore, the union is strongly advocating for a balanced 80:20 female-to-male nursing ratio to protect local candidates, expanded Group B job reservations for regional Scheduled Tribes, and local offline examination centers.
The delegation also reiterated their long-standing demand to elevate NEIGRIHMS to an Institute of National Importance (INI) to ensure autonomous, fair future recruitments. The special committee is expected to submit its findings and resolve the operational deadlock inside the next month.