Shillong, August 14: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) will continue its series of public meetings over five demands for which it has given the Meghalaya Government 15 days to respond, with programmes scheduled at eight locations across Shillong on August 17 and 18, 2026.
According to a statement issued by KSU General Secretary Reuben Najiar, the meetings will begin at 7 PM on both days.
On August 17, public meetings will be held at Mawlai Stand Bus, Last Stop Laban, Pokseh and Umlyngka in Upper Shillong. On August 18, meetings will be held at Laitumkhrah Police Point, Karbom Mawprem, YMCA Mawkhar and Iew Nongmensong.
The first of the five demands concerns the public hearing held on July 31, 2026, in connection with Shree Cement. The KSU has demanded that the hearing be annulled, alleging that it was conducted in a manner that prevented opponents of the proposed mining activities from effectively participating.
The Union has also demanded action against the Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police and other police officials of East Jaintia Hills District, along with officials of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board. The KSU alleged irregularities and collusion in connection with the public hearing and has sought departmental proceedings against the officials concerned.
Its second demand is for full implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016, pending implementation of the Inner Line Permit system. The Union alleged that despite the law having been in place for around a decade, it has not been implemented effectively.
The KSU has demanded that facilitation centres, which would function as entry and exit points, be established at 18 identified locations across Khasi and Jaintia Hills instead of being restricted to Umling. It also wants District Task Forces to function in every district to maintain records of residents and implement other provisions of the MRSSA.
The Union further opposed online registration of residents and maintained that verification should be carried out through the respective Dorbar Shnong.
The third demand is the implementation of the amendment to the Migrant Workmen Act, 2020, which the KSU said is necessary to regulate the entry of migrant workers into Meghalaya and protect employment opportunities for local residents.
The fourth demand relates to recruitment at NEIGRIHMS. The KSU said the State Government had intervened during its agitation in 2025 and assured that its concerns would be taken up with the Centre, but alleged that no meaningful progress had been made even after more than a year.
Among its demands relating to NEIGRIHMS are changes to the 80:20 female-to-male ratio in nursing recruitment, what it considers adequate reservation for Khasi-Jaintia and Garo candidates, and the holding of recruitment examinations directly by NEIGRIHMS within Meghalaya.
The fifth demand is for what the Union described as a clean and transparent recruitment system in the State. The KSU has called for the removal of personal interviews for Grade B, C and D posts in line with Central Government directions, implementation of reforms in the Meghalaya Public Service Commission and District Selection Committees, and introduction of laws or Standard Operating Procedures for other recruitment boards.
The KSU has appealed to the Khasi community to participate in the public meetings and support its five-point charter of demands.
