Nagpur: The indefinite strike by over 30,000 nurses across Maharashtra, which began on July 18, has not been withdrawn, despite a key meeting on Tuesday with Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif yielding some positive outcomes. The State Government has agreed in principle to cancel contractual appointments and upgrade the designation of nurses to nursing officers.
However, the Maharashtra State Nurses Association has made it clear that the strike will continue until these decisions are officially notified and a follow-up meeting is held with the Commissioner of the Medical Education Department.
The strike by the nurses entered its fifth day on Tuesday, continuing to severely impact patient care services in major government hospitals across the state, especially in districts like Nagpur, Yavatmal, Chandrapur, and Amravati. Although a meeting was held with Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif in Mumbai, the union has declared that the strike will not be withdrawn unless firm written government orders are issued addressing their long-standing demands.
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26 July 2025
The nurses’ protest, already in its fifth day, has been intensifying with strong backing from the State Government Group-D (Class IV) Employees Federation. Core demands include the immediate cancellation of the contractual hiring process, 100% permanent recruitment, timely promotions to fill thousands of vacant posts, and resolution of long-pending pay anomalies under the Seventh Pay Commission. Despite two sets of recommendations by the Bakshi Committee since 2017, pay disparities among staff nurses, sister-in-charges, and nursing tutors remain unaddressed.
The strike gained further momentum following the state government’s circular dated June 6, 2025, which announced new contractual recruitments, an issue that had previously triggered a 10-day strike in 2022 before being rolled back. Nurses say this latest move shows a continued disregard for their service, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, where they played a vital frontline role.
Meanwhile, letters issued by the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) and individual hospital deans created a sense of fear among some probationary staff, especially in Nagpur and Yavatmal. A section of these nurses returned to duty, concerned about possible future consequences. However, the union has assured all its members that complete legal and organisational protection will be provided, especially to those on probation.
