Meghalaya youth body issues 7-day ultimatum to NEIGRIHMS over ST reservation violations

Meghalaya's Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has escalated pressure on the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences, demanding immediate corrections to its nursing recruitment process.

The council has issued a stark 7-day ultimatum to the institute's leadership, challenging what it calls systematic violations of scheduled tribe (ST) reservation policies. According to HYC's detailed letter, the current vacancy list dramatically underrepresents ST candidates, allocating merely 2 seats out of 107 nursing positions instead of the legally mandated 8 seats.

Key demands include:

• Revising vacancy allocations to ensure 7.5% representation for ST candidates
• Implementing a strict 80:20 female-to-male recruitment ratio
• Establishing local examination centres in Meghalaya
• Providing standard age relaxation for delayed recruitment cycles

The youth organisation has explicitly warned of potential public protests if the institute fails to address these concerns within the specified timeframe. "We will not be held responsible for any consequences," the letter emphasised, signalling the group's determination to pursue the matter aggressively.

Beyond reservation issues, HYC also highlighted concerns about recruitment patterns, particularly criticising the repeated selection of male nurses from Rajasthan, allegedly despite documented performance concerns from staff and patients.

The institute has been given seven days to respond and implement the requested changes, setting the stage for potential public demonstrations if their demands are not met.