Morung Express News
Kohima | September 3
The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has registered strong objection to the Nagaland Government’s move to regularise 280 contractual health workers, including 98 Medical Officers and Junior Specialists, who were appointed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a representation to the Chief Secretary, the Federation described the Department of Health and Family Welfare’s notification dated August 18, 2025, as arbitrary and unconstitutional. It stated that the decision, taken through a departmental screening process, blatantly disregards established recruitment procedures and undermines the authority of the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) and the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB).
The NSF recalled its earlier representation submitted in September 2024, wherein it had categorically opposed any form of regularisation outside the purview of the NPSC and NSSB. It expressed concern that the present decision sets aside the principle of equal opportunity, thereby depriving aspirants who have been preparing for open competitive examinations.
Citing the Nagaland Health Service Rules, 2006, the Federation noted that recruitment to Class-I Gazetted posts must be conducted through the NPSC by way of duly advertised competitive examinations. By contrast, the notification seeks to bypass this process, regularising nearly 100 Medical Officers in one go, a number higher than the total of 61 recruited through NPSC between 2015 and 2024. This, it pointed out, comes despite Nagaland producing more than 150 MBBS graduates annually.
While acknowledging the invaluable contributions of health workers during the pandemic, the NSF underlined that their terms of appointment were clearly temporary, valid for one year, and carried no claim to regularisation. It cautioned that such dispensations only serve to legitimise backdoor appointments and erode public trust in governance.
The Federation reiterated that it has already recommended special provisions in recognition of pandemic service, including the awarding of grace marks and one-time age relaxation. However, it stressed that such measures must be implemented within the framework of open recruitment under NPSC and NSSB, which it described as the only fair and transparent process.
The NSF urged the Chief Secretary to intervene and ensure that the Department of Health and Family Welfare adheres to the legal framework of recruitment without further delay. It further cautioned that any attempt to bypass due process would be met with strong democratic resistance.
In this connection, the Federation demanded immediate revocation of August 18 notification and requisitioning of all 280 posts to the NPSC and NSSB for recruitment through open competitive examinations.
There can be implementation of special provisions such as grace marks and one-time age relaxation for COVID-19 appointees, as recommended earlier, it added.
