SHILLONG : The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Monday warned that it will resume its agitation and take “extreme measures” if the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) proceeds with its recruitment process without addressing the union’s demands on reservation policy and staff ratio.
KSU General Secretary Reuben Najiar said the union has written to the Director of NEIGRIHMS, urging the institute to honour the agreement reached during a meeting held on May 5, 2025.
“Regarding the issue of recruitment in NEIGRIHMS, we have submitted a letter to the Director of NEIGRIHMS requesting that the agreement reached on May 5, 2025, be honoured,” Najiar said.
He recalled that KSU had staged a five-day sit-in demonstration beginning on May 1 last year, demanding a proper male-to-female ratio in nursing recruitment, reservation for indigenous tribals and other reforms.
According to Najiar, the protest ended after the Meghalaya Government intervened and convened a meeting chaired by then Cabinet Minister Paul Lyngdoh. The meeting was attended by NEIGRIHMS officials along with senior state government officials, including the Commissioner & Secretary, Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police.
Following the meeting, KSU said it was agreed that NEIGRIHMS would not proceed with recruitment until the pending issues were resolved.
Najiar alleged that the government had assured the union that the matter would be settled within one month and a letter would be sent to the concerned Union Ministry. However, more than a year has passed without any progress.
He said the union has repeatedly written to the Health Minister, Chief Secretary and Chief Minister seeking action.
Najiar clarified that KSU is not opposed to recruitment, acknowledging the growing need for healthcare workers at NEIGRIHMS due to the increasing number of patients.
“We do not want to stop the recruitment process because more nurses are needed. However, it was the false assurances given by the state government that convinced us to suspend our agitation, and till today there has been no progress,” he said.
The KSU leader claimed the union has received information that the NEIGRIHMS Director will soon place the recruitment matter before the Governing Council without incorporating the union’s demands.
“If they go ahead with the recruitment without making the changes suggested by the union, jobs meant for indigenous tribals will continue to go to people from outside the state, and the situation at NEIGRIHMS will only become worse,” he alleged.
The union has also informed the Director that it will not allow the Governing Council meeting to be held until the pending issues are resolved.
Najiar warned that if NEIGRIHMS fails to honour the May 5, 2025 agreement, KSU will launch another round of agitation.
“If NEIGRIHMS does not honour the agreement made on May 5, 2025, we will restart the agitation. This time it will not be limited to a sit-in protest. We are prepared to take extreme measures as well,” he said.