NMSA backs NSF demand against regularisation of 97 COVID-era Medical Officers

The Nagaland Medical Students’ Association (NMSA) expresses its supportfor Naga Students’ Federation (NSF)in their ultimatum to the Nagaland Government demanding revocation of the regularisation of 97 contractually appointed COVID medical officerswithout recruitment through NPSC expressing serious concernsin the larger public interest.

While reaffirming faith in the rule of law and expressing full respect for the judgmentpassed by theGauhati High Court, Kohima Bench in WA/25/2025 on 11.12.2025, it is considered necessaryin the larger public interest, to place on record certain policy, institutional, and governance-related concerns arising from the direct regularization of 97 Contractually appointedMedical Officer posts without recruitment through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC).

The Association shares NSF’s grave concern that the regularisation of such appointments outside the purview of the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) and Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB) undermines the principles of transparency, meritocracy, and equal opportunity enshrined in the Constitution. Such actions not only erode public trust in recruitment institutions but also jeopardise the future of hundreds of qualified Naga medical graduates who have been diligently preparing for an Equal, Open competitive examinations.

NMSA fully endorses and amplifies the specific demands outlined by NSF before the State Government in their statement issued on December 19, 2025 for:

• Immediate revocation of all notifications pertaining to the regularisation of Medical Officers/Junior Specialists and other health workers appointed during the COVID-19 pandemic, including Notification No. HFW(A)l0/34/2024/5 dated 16th December 2025.
• Requisition of all 280 posts to the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) and the Nagaland Staff SelectionBoard (NSSB) for recruitment strictly through Open, Advertised and Competitive examinations in accordance with existing service rules.
• Implementation of special provisions, such as grace marks to all healthcare workers who renderedservice during the COVID pandemic for a period of 100 days or more, as per the direction given by the Central Government and one-time age relaxation, exclusively for COVID-19 appointees, as earlier recommended by the NSF, to be applied within the framework of open competition while allowing all eligible candidates to participate.

At the outset, it must be clearly stated that there is deep respect and sincere appreciation for the invaluable services rendered by all healthcare workers who were engaged during the extraordinary and unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic period. These healthcare workers served under difficult conditionsand their contribution to the public health response during a time of crisis is acknowledged, valued, and commendable.However, recognition of service, howsoever significant; must still be balanced with the constitutional and statutory framework governing public employment, especially for Class I Gazetted posts, for which It was explicitly statedthat the terms and conditions governing the engagement of COVID Medical Officers at the time of their appointment were unequivocally temporary and purely contractual in nature, limited to a fixed tenure of twelve (12) months, with an explicit stipulation that no claim whatsoever for regularisation into regular service shall arise from such contractual engagement and any of these appointmentto Regular Sanctioned posts is to be made only through due process of selection by Special Recruitment Drive under the purview of Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) or the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB), strictly in accordance with the applicable recruitment rules.

While acknowledging that, as per the direction of the Central Government conveyed through the notice issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare dated 3rd May 2021, the Central Government recommends State/UT Governments to consider giving Preference in regular Government appointments of Health professionals through the respective Public Service Commission/ other recruitment bodies, for those Health Professionals who complete a minimum of 100 days of Covid related duty. However, the policy adopted by the State Government to directly regularise 97 Contractual COVID medical officers by bypassing the norms and procedures of theNagaland Public Service Commission and confining the benefit to a select group alone, is discriminatory in nature and only nominally follows the Central Government’s directive.

There also exist several other healthcare workers who have rendered more than 100 days of COVID-related duty but have been excluded from consideration. Consequently, the impugned action is, in substance and effect, not arecruitment drive in accordance with the Central Government’s advisory, but a selective “Special Regularisation Drive,” violative of the principles of equality, fairness, and merit-based public employment.

The Nagaland Health Service Rules, 2006, along with established constitutional principles governing public employment, envisage that appointments to Class I Gazetted medical posts shall ordinarily be made through a transparent, competitive, and merit-based selection process conducted by the NPSC. These provisions exist to ensure:

1. Equal opportunity for all eligible candidates
2. Transparency and fairness in recruitment
3. Institutional accountability
4. Public confidence in governance

Direct regularization, particularly on a large scale, bypasses these safeguards and raises concerns that extend beyond the individuals involved and to the long-term integrity of the recruitment system.Merit-based recruitment is the backbone of an efficient and credible public service. Hundreds of qualified medical graduates and postgraduates across the State prepare for and depend upon NPSC examinations as the only legitimate and equal pathway to entry into gazetted service.When appointments to Class IGazetted posts are made without open competition, it inevitably creates a perception of unequal treatment, undermining the confidence of aspirants and risking long-term damage to the credibility of statutory recruitment processes.

If the intent of the Government is to acknowledge and reward service rendered during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that such recognition be inclusive, equitable, and non-discriminatory.

The pandemic response was a collective and multisectoral effort. In addition to government-appointed Contractual medical officers, doctors from private hospitals, other government Contractual doctors across departments, and a wide range of healthcare professionals rendered invaluable services during the crisis.

Further, the contribution of paramedical staff, nurses, laboratory technicians, ASHAs, allied health workers, sanitation workers, ambulance personnel, and frontline workers cannot be overstated.

In addition, several other departments played a critical role during the pandemic, including but not limited to:

• Police and security forces, who ensured enforcement of public health measures
• District administration and civil officials, who coordinated containment, logistics, and relief
• Power department and essential services personnel, who ensured uninterrupted electricity and utilities
• Transport, municipal, and disaster management staff, who maintained essential operations

All these COVID warriors performed their respective duties with dedication and personal sacrifice. Selective recognition of only one category of workers through direct regularization, while others who contributed equally continue to be governed strictly by existing service rules, raises concerns of unequal treatment and inconsistency in policy.

While direct regularization may dilute statutory recruitment norms, there exist fair, lawful, and balanced alternatives through which the COVID-time service of Contractual medical officers can be meaningfully recognised without bypassing the NPSC such as;

• One-time age relaxation for Contractual medical officers appointed during the COVID period
• Additional weightage of marks in NPSC-conducted examinations for relevant Contractual service rendered during the pandemic
• Preference clauses strictly within the framework of competitive selection, applicable uniformly and transparently

These measures would ensure that:

1. The extraordinary service rendered during the pandemic is duly acknowledged
2. Merit-based competition is preserved
3. Equal opportunity principles remain intact
4. Statutory institutions like the NPSC are strengthened rather than bypassed

The Nagaland Public Service Commission is a constitutionally mandated body designed to safeguard neutrality and fairness in recruitment. Large-scale deviations from NPSC-based recruitment, even under exceptional circumstances, risk weakening institutional authority and creating precedents that may be difficult to contain in the future.Strong governance requires strong institutions, and any policy that inadvertently marginalizes such institutions warrants careful reconsideration.

The effectiveness of the public health system depends not only on infrastructure but also on trust, morale, and professional legitimacy. Transparent recruitment ensures that medical officers occupying gazetted positions command professional respect, both within the system and among the public they serve.Perceived dilution of recruitment standards can have a demoralizing effect on serving doctors and aspiring candidates alike, ultimatelyaffectingservice delivery.

This statement does not challenge or undermine the authorityof the Hon’ble Court’s judgment. Judicial decisions resolve specific legal disputes; however, itremainslegitimate and necessary in a democratic society to engage in constructive policy discourse, particularly when decisions have far-reaching implications for governance and future recruitment practices.

In the interest of fairness, transparency, and institutional integrity, the NMSA urges the Government to:

• Ensure strict adherence to NPSC-based recruitment for all future Class I Gazetted medical posts
• Adopt compensatory measures such as age relaxation and service weightage rather than Direct Regularization
• Clearly define exceptional circumstances to prevent Regularization from becoming a substitute for competitive selection
• Uphold and strengthen the Nagaland Health Service Rules, 2006, through consistent and uniform application

Merit-based recruitment is not a mere technical requirement; it is a cornerstone of good governance, professional excellence, and public trust. Respecting service rendered during emergencies and preserving statutory recruitment norms need not be mutually exclusive, both can and must coexist.This statement is issued purely in the public interest, with the hope that future recruitment policies, across all departments and services, will reflect fairness, gratitude, merit, and institutional integrity in equal measure, thereby safeguarding the interests of future aspirants as well as the credibility of public institutions.

Issued from the office of NMSA