Unemployed veterinary trainees serve ultimatum to government

Our Correspondent Kohima, August 11 (EMN): The aggrieved Unemployed Regular Veterinary Field Assistant Trainees (URVFATN) has demanded revocation of reservation ration of 50:50 of VFA vacancies for regularised and VFA private candidates. It has also asked for revocation of 80:20 reservations for open recruitment and cancellation of the 10 regularised VFA private trainees, or issue an order to count their seniority from the date of their regularisation i.e. below 26th VFA batch on or before August 21, 2017. Failure to comply with the demands within the stipulated time, VFA members, from 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th batches at a press conference held at NSF conference hall this afternoon, cautioned that they would be compelled to start an indefinite first phase of agitation from August 23 next. An ultimatum to this effect has been submitted to the director of Animal Husbandary and Veterinary Services on August 10 last. VFA member, Temjenungsang pointed out that since its inception 25 years ago, the department has followed an established norm that appointment to the posts of VFA are made serially in turn from amongst the qualified regular unemployed VFA trainees as per the merit list of the result of the VFA training conducted by the department. However, it alleged that the department has regularised 10 private candidates to serve the interest of the authority concerned, which is in contravention of the established norms of VFA and the government instruction, while the regular VFA trainees have been patiently waiting its turn for the last 6-7 years for appointment as per the seniority based on merit. In spite of repeated representations, dialogues and discussion during the last five years, it accused the department of always giving false assurances by overlooking its standing order No, AHV/VFA/2003/II dated 16.11.2010 whereby it has stated among others that no private candidates should be entertained from 23rd batch and that regularised private candidates shall have a separate merit list and their seniority will be placed below the regular candidates. He lamented that despite its representation, the department during a meeting held on July 11, 2017 has brought up a special reservation ration of 50:50 vacancies of the regularised private VFA trainees and 80:20 reservations for open recruitment. While demanding revocation of the same, aggrieved VFA members asserted that the department review its decision and continue to give appointment strictly adhering to serial number within each batch so that the normal mode of appointment of VFA posts will remain smooth and undisturbed. The aggrieved members were also surprised that the department has not framed Service Rules for Para Veterinarian till today for the last 25 years leaving room to question the sincerity and integrity of the department. Another member, Keyirangkiamle Cerai said failure on the part of the department to fulfil its demand would compel the member to start its first phase of indefinite agitation to redress its grievances.