Yoga instructors cry corruption in recruitment process

Ranchi: Yoga instructors and yoga teaching aspirants demonstrated on Wednesday, alleging that the advertisement number 1/23 by Sadar Hospital Ranchi, for the recruitment of yoga instructors at Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) under the National Health Mission and Jharkhand Ayush, was marred by severe corruption and unethical practices. They performed Shirshasana (headstand) and Sarvangasana (shoulder stand), asking the government to strictly look into the issue.The protesters included secretary of the Indian Yoga Association, Jharkhand, Amit Kumar, gold medallist in the professional category in the 44th National Online Yoga Competition, 2020, Indu Kumari, along with other yoga instructors and students.A former member of the Ayush department called the issue a ‘recruitment scam’. “While recruiting, the interview panel consisted of five members, out of whom onlyArchana Kumari was a yoga instructor. The rest comprised doctors and surgeons.”Kumar alleged that individuals who participated in the interviews were requested to pay Rs 35,000. He said, “The students were getting a call from Devendra Sahu, promising them a job upon payment of the mentioned amount”. Kumar asserted that the students who were successfully hired lacked sufficient knowledge about the job compared to their experienced peers who had successfully cleared the UGC NET.Indu who appeared for the interview said, “Despite my extensive experience and numerous medals acquired while practising yoga, I was not offered the job”.Another yoga instructor, Ritesh Kumar said, “The appointment advertisement stated that only yoga instructors from the local area would be chosen. However, for all the rural regions of Ranchi, yoga teachers residing in the city were selected, despite living 20 km to 70 km away from the health centre. It seems impractical to travel such a distance every day for a yoga class that pays only Rs 250”.Fazlus Sami, director of Ayush, Jharkhand, said "I prefer not to make any comments on this issue. If there is a need for a statement, it will be released by Saturday after consulting with the rest of the Ayush members.”