The Nagaland Medical Students’ Association (NMSA) has announced its decision to call off the agitation against the controversial notification issued by the Department of Health & Family Welfare on August 18, 2025, regarding the direct regularization of 280 contractual COVID-19 appointees, including 122 Class-I gazetted posts.
The association stated that the decision was taken after the matter went sub judice, with the High Court issuing a stay order on further recruitment processes. “We hold the judiciary in the highest regard and have full faith that the Court will deliver a fair and just verdict in the interest of all stakeholders,” NMSA said in a release.
The August 18 notification had called for regularization of 98 MBBS Medical Officers/Junior Specialists, 21 AYUSH Medical Officers, and 3 Junior Dental Surgeons through a departmental screening committee. The NMSA had earlier raised strong objections, arguing that such direct regularization undermines meritocracy and affects equal opportunities for medical professionals and aspirants.
Clarifying its role in the ongoing case, NMSA informed that it has not filed any writ petition in its official capacity. Instead, the petition presently before the Court was initiated by certain members of the association in their individual capacity. While the writ petition was dismissed on August 1, 2025, an appeal has been admitted by the High Court and is under consideration.
Reiterating its position, NMSA stressed its “steadfast commitment to upholding the principles of meritocracy and ensuring fair and equal opportunities in public recruitment.”
The statement was jointly signed by Pito S Rochill, President, and Bonoto P Zimo, General Secretary of the association.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health & Family Welfare has issued an order “in compliance with the interim directive of the High Court in Writ Appeal No. 25/2025 dated 03.09.2025.” According to the directive, the Court has stayed the Cabinet Decision dated 06.08.2024 and the subsequent Notification dated 18.08.2025 and “directed that no further steps for regularization be undertaken by the State respondents on the basis of the said Cabinet Decision and Notification.”
As a result, the ongoing process of regularization of various categories of posts created during the COVID-19 pandemic through the Department Screening Committee has been kept in abeyance until further orders. The department confirmed that all further actions regarding the regularization of contractual COVID-19 appointments will strictly adhere to the High Court’s instructions.