Photo Courtesy: nenow
Imphal: Nearly 200 registered nurses in Churachandpur may miss the NORCET-11 exam. Imphal is the only test site in Manipur. Ethnic violence makes the city inaccessible for many local workers. Nurses fear for their lives. Travel to the capital remains too risky for the Kuki-Zo community.
The alternative is a grueling 384-kilometer trip to Aizawl, Mizoram. The commute takes 13 hours. Most nurses cannot afford the time or money. Many earn low wages and cannot pay for travel and lodging. Only 15 to 20 candidates might attempt the journey to Mizoram. The rest face missing the test entirely.
Local MLAs and the Churachandpur Deputy Commissioner raised the issue with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and AIIMS, New Delhi. They received no answer. The district has the gear for computer-based tests, but officials refuse to add a local site. "It is far too dangerous to appear for an exam in Imphal," said registered nurse Nemboiching. She lost her home and family in the fighting. She now questions how anyone expects candidates to travel to the capital.
Yuki, 27, works as a Tele-ICU nurse at the local hospital. She cited shift requirements and financial strain as recurring barriers. Age caps further complicate the matter. Candidates must be 30, with an extension to 35 for ST and SC applicants. The persistent silence from authorities leaves many futures hanging in the balance.
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