Shillong, 26 October (H.S.): Meghalaya Chief

Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday met leaders of the Khasi Students’ Union

(KSU) to discuss outstanding concerns relating to recruitment at the North

Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences

(NEIGRIHMS), facilitation centres and procedures under the Meghalaya Residents

Safety and Security Act (MRSSA).

In a statement

after the meeting, Sangma said the discussions covered key issues highlighted

by the students’ organisation and reiterated the government’s commitment to

constructive engagement to find solutions that protect the interests of the

people of Meghalaya.

The meeting

comes amid renewed pressure from the KSU over recruitment practices at

NEIGRIHMS, with the union recently reminding the Chief Minister of the

government’s earlier assurance to facilitate a meeting with the Union Health

Minister to raise concerns about employment opportunities for indigenous

candidates.

The KSU had

launched an indefinite sit-in at NEIGRIHMS on May 1, 2025, raising questions

about nursing recruitment ratios, reservation provisions for indigenous tribal

communities and the conduct of recruitment examinations. The agitation was

suspended on May 5, 2025, following assurances of government intervention. The

union subsequently sought time-bound action, maintaining that its concerns

remained unresolved.

Implementation

of the MRSSA and the functioning of facilitation centres have also featured

prominently in discussions between the government and the KSU. The state

government had earlier indicated that it was developing a technology-based

application to streamline the registration of people entering Meghalaya and

create a centralised database.

The government

had also discussed expediting the operationalisation of the Umling facilitation

centre and identifying locations for additional centres. These measures are

intended to strengthen the implementation of the state’s resident safety and

security framework.

Sangma said the

government would continue to engage in dialogue with the KSU to address the

concerns raised and work towards practical solutions in the larger interest of

the people.

However,

details of any fresh decisions, specific deadlines or additional assurances

emerging from Monday’s meeting were not immediately available.

The latest

interaction follows a series of engagements between the state government and

the KSU over recruitment reforms, migrant worker registration and other issues

concerning the rights and interests of Meghalaya’s residents.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhijit Deb