The Voice of Unemployed Medical Laboratory Technologists (VUMLT) has announced a peaceful dharna on 27 July at the tennis court in Itanagar, alleging that the state government has failed to address the grievances of unemployed laboratory professionals despite repeated representations and a rally held on 15 July. VUMLT chairman Tamchi Tago stated that the organisation had submitted a memorandum to the government following the 15 July rally, highlighting the grievances of unemployed laboratory professionals. However, he alleged that despite the rally, the government has failed to take timely action or intervene to address their demands, forcing the organisation to once again raise the issue before the public through the media.
The organisation has placed a four-point charter of demands before the government, including immediate advertisement of 192 sanctioned laboratory technician posts through the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB). Tago claimed that the posts had already been sanctioned in 2023, and that the Recruitment Rules (RR), 2024 had been completed, leaving only the issuance of the recruitment advertisement. The organisation also demands cancellation of the tender awarded to a private company for laboratory services, alleging that the company has expanded its operations across all 26 districts and is replacing regular recruitment with outsourced manpower, thereby depriving qualified young laboratory professionals of employment opportunities.
Furthermore, the organisation has called for abolition of outsourcing and the public-private partnership (PPP) model for laboratory, blood bank and other laboratory services. Tago alleged that private agencies are recruiting technical personnel without proper advertisements, competitive examinations or transparent selection procedures, and claimed that appointments were being made through recommendations. He questioned the practice, alleging that such recruitment violates professional norms and denies deserving candidates equal employment opportunities.
The organisation has repeatedly approached the Directorate of Health Services, urging the authorities to conduct recruitment through the APSSB, so that qualified candidates could compete on merit. Tago claimed that documents obtained by the organisation showed 13 sanctioned technical posts lying vacant at the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS). Tago also shared his personal experience, claiming to have appeared in more than 15 walk-in interviews, and alleged that deserving candidates are being denied equal opportunities because proper examinations and transparent recruitment procedures are not being followed.
The organisation opposes what it describes as a ‘cash-for-job’ system, and demands that all regular vacancies be filled only through transparent recruitment conducted by the APSSB. Tago claimed that the organisation possesses a video recording of remarks made by the chief minister on the issue, and said it is prepared to share it with the media. He also claimed that appointment letters issued to around 250 NRHM contractual employees clearly stated that they could not claim regularisation or transfer of their contractual appointments.
Tago alleged that the continued delay in advertising the sanctioned vacancies is encouraging the ‘cash-for-job’ system, and claimed that Rs 1.5 lakh per person was being demanded to secure one of the 192 laboratory technician posts. Tago announced that the VUMLT would organise a peaceful dharna on 27 July at the tennis court in Itanagar, and urged unemployed laboratory professionals, contractual workers, parents and members of the public to participate in the dharna. He said many parents have educated their children in laboratory technology with the hope of securing employment, and appealed to them to join the democratic movement until the organisation’s demands are addressed.
