Nagaland: NSF issues ultimatum against regularisation of COVID-era doctors

The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has issued an ultimatum to the State government, opposing what it termed as the “arbitrary and unconstitutional” regularisation of medical officers appointed on a contractual basis during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a representation addressed to the chief secretary, NSF president Mteisuding Heraang and general secretary Kenilo Kent stated that it had engaged the state government at every stage in good faith and with constructive intent. The federation recalled that through representations submitted on August 22, 2024; September 4, 2024; and September 3, 2025, it had categorically objected to any move to regularise medical officers, junior specialists, and other health workers appointed during COVID-19 pandemic through mechanisms outside the constitutional mandate of Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) and the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB).
Despite these reasoned and principled representations, NSF alleged that the state government has ignored the aspirations of thousands of qualified Naga youth, while disregarding the federation’s repeated recommendations aimed at recognising the services rendered during the pandemic without compromising the sanctity of open and competitive recruitment.
NSF expressed grave concern over the government’s decision to regularise 97 MOs under Health & Family Welfare department through a notification dated December 16, 2025. It noted that an earlier notification issued on August 18, 2025 had proposed regularisation of 280 posts, including medical officers and other health workers, through a departmental screening process.
Terming the move legally untenable, NSF stated that the Nagaland Health Service Rules, 2006 mandate recruitment to Class-I gazetted posts strictly through NPSC by way of duly advertised competitive examinations. It maintained that regularisation outside this process violated constitutional provisions and the principle of equal opportunity.
It pointed out that between 2015 and 2024, the state recruited only 61 medical officers through NPSC, even as Nagaland produces over 150 MBBS graduates annually. Against this backdrop, NSF said the latest notification sought to regularise 97 MOs in one go, without affording equal opportunity to a large pool of qualified aspirants who have been preparing for open competitive exams over the years.
While acknowledging the services rendered by doctors during the pandemic, NSF pointed out that their contractual appointments were explicitly temporary and did not confer any right to regularisation.
NSF asserted that converting such temporary, emergency engagements into permanent appointments would amount to legitimising backdoor entry into government service.
NSF said it has never advocated injustice or exclusion. Instead, the federation stated that it had proposed balanced and lawful alternatives, including the provision of grace marks and one-time age relaxation for COVID-19 appointees, to be implemented strictly through open and competitive recruitment conducted by NPSC and NSSB. It maintained that such measures would have ensured due recognition of pandemic service without compromising merit, legality or equal opportunity.
In this regard, NSF placed the following demands before the state government as part of its ultimatum: (i) immediate revocation of all notifications relating to the regularisation of MOs/Jr Specialists and other health workers appointed during COVID-19, including notification dated December 16, 2025; (ii) requisition of all 280 posts to NPSC and NSSB for recruitment strictly through open, advertised and competitive examinations in accordance with existing service rules within 45 days; and (iii) implementation of special provisions such as grace marks and one-time age relaxation exclusively for COVID-19 appointees within the framework of open competition.
NSF asserted that the ultimatum was issued in the interest of justice, constitutional propriety and the future of Naga youth. It warned that any further attempt by the state government to bypass due process, dilute recruitment norms or legitimise backdoor appointments would compel the Federation to initiate democratic forms of protest, for which the responsibility would rest with the government.