'Discrepancies' in nurse recruitment: Zoram Medical College Director issued notice

Aizawl: The Mizoram government has issued a show-cause notice to the director of Zoram Medical College (ZMC) over alleged discrepancies in the recent recruitment of nurses.

The state administration on Thursday sought an explanation at the earliest from Dr John Zohmingthanga, the director of the lone medical college in the state, over allegations that some 'nurses', who did not possess any nursing certificate, were recruited without conducting any personal interviews.

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Voluntary nurses, who were hired in April for a limited period, have been staging an agitation at the hospital since October 5 over the alleged recruitment discrepancies. They also claimed that they have been irregularly paid.

Main opposition party Zoram People's Movement and influential outfit Mizo Students' Union have also requested the state government to nullify the results.

The Health Department had last month issued an advertisement inviting applications for the recruitment of 50 nurses at ZMC on a contractual basis. The results of the personal interviews conducted between September 27 and September 30 were declared on October 4.

However, the results were strongly opposed from different quarters. The voluntary nurses demanded that the results be rectified on or before October 14.

Hundreds of voluntary nurses were hired in ZMC and other COVID care facilities in the state to cope up with a manpower crunch amid a spike in coronavirus cases.

A voluntary nurse at ZMC, on condition of anonymity, told PTI that at least 103 of them are working in the hospital. They have been hired for at least compulsorily 100 days at a monthly remuneration of Rs 22,000.

She claimed that in the government advertisement, it was clearly mentioned that voluntary nurses would be given priority in recruitment to the 50 posts, but only 14 were selected whereas over 80 per cent of them had applied.

She alleged that at least three candidates were short-listed without having to face personal interviews. The nurse also claimed they haven't been paid for the last two months.

The ZMC director could not be contacted for a comment on the allegations.

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