SHILLONG — In a dramatic escalation of tensions, the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) on Friday stormed into the office of NEIGRIHMS Director Prof. Nalin Mehta, demanding the immediate implementation of an 80:20 female-to-male recruitment ratio and 44 percent reservation for Scheduled Tribes. Caught off guard by the surprise gherao, the director was compelled to step out of his office to address the protestors directly.
The protest followed a memorandum submitted by the HYC on March 24, in which the council had issued a seven-day ultimatum to the hospital administration. As the deadline lapsed without a response, HYC members marched into the NEIGRIHMS premises and forced their way into the administrative block, demanding an audience with the director. Security personnel were unable to restrain the protestors, and Prof. Mehta was eventually compelled to exit his chamber alongside other senior officials.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem said, “We have submitted a memorandum in this regard since March 24 and the seven-day ultimatum given to you has ended today. Since there was no response from your office, we have no other option but to stage this protest.”
Synrem confirmed that the organisation has received a written assurance from the NEIGRIHMS administration regarding the setting up of local examination centres for Meghalaya-based candidates. He stated that the director clarified the recruitment process would be handled by HLL, a Central Government-recognised agency, accepted by the institute.
On the issue of gender parity, Synrem said, “One of the main demands of the HYC was the implementation of the 80:20 female to male ratio as was done in AIIMS and other institutions. In this regard, the Director has assured that he would immediately write to the Union Health Ministry to get a clarification or an approval on whether or not NEIGRIHMS can implement this 80:20 female to male ratio because as it is there is no such provision in the recruitment rules (RR) of the institute. Therefore, to implement this, NEIGRIHMS has to amend the RR and for that they would require the approval of the Union Health Ministry.”
Synrem also underscored the council’s demand for strict implementation of 44 percent reservation for Scheduled Tribes in accordance with the Office Memorandum of the Ministry of Personnel. “The purpose is to ensure our people get more employment opportunities within NEIGRIHMS, NEHU, central institutes because at the end of the day the Government of Meghalaya has given them land to set up their institutes here with an objective that our people will get jobs and admission. But what has happened in all these institutions is that it goes against that expectation. This has prompted us to lock the office of the Director and administrative block,” he said.
HYC has indicated that it will continue to monitor the situation before deciding on further steps. “The online application will end on April 20, so maybe by that time we will know if our demands are met or not. We are clear that the recruitment process will not be allowed if 80:20 female to male ratio is not implemented,” Synrem asserted.