Shillong: The Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress (MPYC) has urged the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) to adopt an 80:20 female-male ratio in nursing recruitment, citing patient comfort, dignity and the need for adequate female nursing staff in sensitive departments.
Addressing a press conference, MPYC members said the institute should reconsider its recruitment approach, particularly in departments such as maternity wards, labour rooms and paediatric intensive care units, where female patients and children may prefer female nurses.
MPYC member Joel Desmond Nongrum said NEIGRIHMS had expanded its departments over the years, increasing the demand for nursing staff, while a significant number of existing nurses recruited in 2005 would retire in the next five to 10 years.
He said planning for their replacement should be a priority and questioned why NEIGRIHMS could not adopt recruitment norms followed by premier medical institutions such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
“This is not sex-based discrimination. It is about patient dignity and clinical needs,” Desmond said, referring to the proposed 80:20 ratio.
He also expressed concern over the composition of the institute’s latest nursing recruitment, claiming that around 90% of those recruited were male and 10% female.
Desmond said the issue had been raised with Tura MP Saleng A Sangma, who would take it up with Union Health Minister JP Nadda on October 27.
MPYC vice-president Banphira Basaiawmoit said NEIGRIHMS was not following the 80:20 recruitment pattern that the Congress youth leaders said was adopted by AIIMS and other institutions.
He cited recruitment figures to highlight the representation of candidates from Meghalaya and Rajasthan. According to him, of 233 nurses recruited in 2023, 134 were from Rajasthan, while only 15 were from Meghalaya. He also referred to the 2019 recruitment, when 111 candidates from Rajasthan were selected out of a total of 231.
Basaiawmoit attributed the low representation of candidates from Meghalaya partly to the lack of coaching institutes in the state dedicated to preparing aspirants for nursing recruitment examinations, unlike Rajasthan, which he described as a major coaching hub.
He said patients had expressed a preference for female nurses in certain departments and urged the institute to consider their comfort and concerns while framing recruitment policies.
Responding to a question on reservation, Basaiawmoit said NEIGRIHMS followed the Central government’s reservation policy and roster, adding that the Meghalaya state reservation policy did not apply to the institute.
He also disputed the institute director’s reported explanation that NEIGRIHMS could not follow the 80:20 pattern because it was not designated an Institute of National Importance. Citing Article 15(3) of the Constitution, he argued that provisions could be made for women and children and urged the institute to examine the issue.
The MPYC vice-president referred to past incidents, including a reported molestation case involving a minor and complaints of medical negligence against male nurses, as reasons for prioritising patient safety. However, he did not provide further details or documentation regarding these cases during the press conference.
“This is not a fight against male nurses. The comfort of patients, women and children should be taken into consideration,” Basaiawmoit said.
He urged the institute’s governing body to review the recruitment pattern ahead of future vacancies, saying the aim should be to ensure adequate female nursing staff while addressing the concerns of patients and the public.
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