Guwahati: The West Khasi Hills District Administration has put the recruitment of Staff Nurses for the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Hospital in Nongstoin on hold and ordered a formal inquiry into allegations of irregularities and demands for money from job aspirants.
The administration said the results and final selection list will not be published until the inquiry is completed and the allegations are thoroughly examined.
West Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Hema Nayak, in a letter to the Voice of the People’s Party (VPP) State Youth Wing, said the administration had taken serious note of the complaints and constituted a two-member inquiry committee.
The committee comprises West Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Herbert Kharkongor, MPS, and Assistant Commissioner and Executive Magistrate E Lyngdoh, MCS.
The inquiry follows allegations raised by the VPP State Youth Wing that candidates were being approached by alleged touts or middlemen who claimed they could influence the recruitment process in exchange for money.
The district administration has warned candidates against dealing with such individuals and urged anyone with information about alleged illegal solicitation or other malpractice to approach the administration or the inquiry committee.
It said appropriate legal action would be taken based on the findings of the investigation.
The development follows controversy during the Staff Nurse recruitment process after Nongstoin MDC Dr Juristman Iawphniaw intervened during the interview on Tuesday, alleging that concerns over demands for money had not been adequately addressed.
The intervention disrupted the interview proceedings. The district administration subsequently condemned what it described as unauthorised entry into the interview venue while maintaining that allegations of bribery or other malpractice should be supported by evidence.
Earlier, the VPP State Youth Wing had sought postponement of the interviews scheduled for September 29 and 30 until the complaints were investigated.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had also said that allegations concerning the recruitment process would be examined and that action would be taken if they were found to be substantiated.
With the recruitment process now formally suspended, the administration said its next steps will be determined by the findings of the inquiry.