NSF objects to regularisation of 280 Covid-19 appointees

Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has strongly objected to the August 18, 2025 health and family welfare (H&FW) department notification, which sought to regularise 98 contractual medical officers/junior specialists along with other health workers (total 280 posts) appointed during COVID-19 pandemic through departmental screening process.
In a representation addressed to the chief secretary, NSF president Medovi Rhi and secretary education Temjentoshi recalled its earlier representation dated September 4, 2024, in which the federation opposed any form of regularization outside the purview of NPSC and NSSB.
NSF expressed disappointment that despite its firm stance and recommendations, the H&FW department had gone against the same and issued the notification “in blatant disregard of established recruitment rules and procedures.”
Describing the decision as “deeply arbitrary and unconstitutional”, the NSF pointed out that the Nagaland Health Service Rules, 2006 clearly mandated that recruitment to Class-I Gazetted posts must be conducted through the NPSC by way of duly advertised competitive examinations.
The federation maintained that by regularizing 98 medical officers/junior specialists and others outside NPSC scrutiny, the department has set aside the principle of equal opportunity, thus depriving countless aspirants who were preparing for open competitive examinations.
Further, NSF pointed out that between 2015 and 2024, only 61 medical officers were recruited through NPSC. Yet, it said the H&FW department notification seeks to regularize 98 in one go, despite Nagaland producing over 150 MBBS graduates annually.
Acknowledging the invaluable service rendered by doctors and healthcare workers during the pandemic, NSF however reiterated that the terms and conditions of their engagement clearly stated that their appointments were purely temporary, valid for one year, with no claim to regularization under any circumstances. The federation stated that such one-time dispensations normalized backdoor appointments and would have long-term consequences of eroding public trust in governance.
NSF reminded that it had already recommended special provisions in recognition of their service, including grace marks and one-time age relaxation, to be implemented through open recruitment under NPSC/NSSB, which remains the only fair and transparent approach.
NSF has, therefore, demanded immediate revocation of August 18, 2025 notification; requisition all 280 posts to the NPSC and NSSB for recruitment through open competitive examinations and implement special provisions such as grace marks and one-time age relaxation for COVID-19 appointees as it earlier recommended.
NSF cautioned that any attempt to bypass due process would be met with strong democratic resistance.
Therefore, the federation has sought the intervention of chief secretary’s office and ensure that the H&FW department adhered to the legal framework of recruitment without further delay.