PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE / Dehradun
Nursing Ekta Manch (NEM) on Thursday accused the State government of inaction on its long-pending recruitment demands and announced that unemployed nursing graduates will begin an indefinite hunger strike from April 19 if no concrete steps are taken. Addressing the media, NEM head Naval Pundir said that the ongoing protest by nursing graduates has entered its 133rd day, but the government has yet to respond meaningfully to their concerns.
Pundir said that they have been raising their demands through peaceful and democratic means for several months. However, they alleged that continued administrative delay has created uncertainty and frustration among aspirants awaiting recruitment in government health institutions. Among their key demands, Pundir called for the restoration of the earlier year-wise recruitment system for nursing posts and initiation of recruitment against around 2,000 vacant positions in State hospitals as per Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) norms.
He also alleged irregularities in earlier recruitment processes. According to NEM members, candidates from reserved categories were selected on the basis of seniority up to 2020–21, while several general category candidates from as far back as 2014 are still awaiting selection. They described the situation as unequal treatment within the same recruitment framework.
Pundir demanded implementation of a transparent year-wise selection process and urged the government to provide what it termed a “final opportunity” to eligible candidates who have been waiting for years. Warning of intensifying agitation if their demands remain unaddressed, the candidates announced that they will begin an indefinite hunger strike from April 19.
