Staff Reporter

ITANAGAR, SEP 19:

The All Arunachal Pradesh Unemployed Nurses’ Association (AAPUNA) has opposed the proposed 70:30 recruitment formula for Nursing Officers by the All Arunachal Pradesh Contractual Nursing Officers’ Association (AAPCNOA), calling for equal opportunity and merit-based recruitment through the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC). It urged the authorities not to withhold the APPSC examination for Nursing Officers.

Addressing the media at the Arunachal Press Club here on Saturday, AAPUNA general secretary Damter Gamlin said there was no justification for adopting a 70:30 seniority-based recruitment formula when 462 contractual nurses had already been regularised in 2025 without examination.

Gamlin said the current examination was meant to fill the remaining 30 per cent vacancies on merit through the APPSC, but contractual nurses were seeking 70 per cent out of the remaining vacancies, which, she said, raised serious concerns.

The association demanded that the remaining regular vacancies be filled through APPSC examination and that eligible contractual Nursing Officers also be allowed to compete in the same examination.

AAPUNA also called for transparent implementation of the 2024 Recruitment Rules, which provide for recruitment of Nursing Officers through APPSC examination. It urged that any amendment or new recruitment rules should not dilute the examination-based recruitment process.

The association further opposed preferential treatment in recruitment on the grounds of age, pregnancy, marriage, children or family responsibilities, stating that many unemployed nursing aspirants also have family responsibilities while preparing for competitive examinations.

Regarding regularisation of contractual Nursing Officers, AAPUNA sought clarity on the basis for any further regularisation, particularly where contractual appointments were made with terms and conditions concerning future regularisation.

The association also urged the authorities not to withhold the APPSC examination for Nursing Officers, stating that thousands of qualified and unemployed nursing graduates were waiting for an oportunity to compete for regular posts.

AAPUNA questioned why regular competitive examinations for Nursing Officers had not been conducted despite the continuing requirement for nursing personnel, and why qualified nurses were being engaged on contractual appointments for prolonged periods instead of following a regular recruitment system.

It also sought clarification on why the required recruitment examination syllabus had not yet been provided to APPSC, if applicable, and asked the government to spell out its long-term policy for recruitment of Nursing Officers.

The association appealed to the Health Department, Chief Minister, APPSC and other concerned authorities to ensure a transparent, examination-based recruitment mechanism and equal opportunity for eligible candidate.