New Delhi: A nationwide protest by nursing officers working under the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) is set to begin on Thursday, July 16, with the All India ESIC Nursing Officers’ Federation (AIESICNOF) launching a three-day Black Badge Protest over the implementation of mandatory transfers under the Annual General Transfer (AGT)-2026.
The federation said the demonstration will be held across ESIC medical colleges, hospitals and District Controlling Branch Offices (DCBOs) as the first stage of a larger agitation. It has also submitted a formal strike notice to the Union Minister for Labour and Employment, who is also the Chairman of ESIC, seeking intervention in the matter.
AIESICNOF has alleged that the transfer orders were issued in an “illegal, arbitrary and discriminatory” manner, contending that the exercise was carried out without adhering to the existing transfer policy or following transparent and objective guidelines.
According to the federation, Assistant Nursing Superintendents (ANS), Senior Nursing Officers (SNO) and Nursing Officers were transferred despite repeated assurances from senior ESIC officials and the Union Labour Minister that mandatory transfers in the nursing cadre would not be implemented. It maintained that transfers were to be considered only on request and subject to the availability of vacancies.
The federation further alleged that the transfer exercise has caused significant hardship for hundreds of nursing personnel and their families. It claimed that many employees have been posted to locations far from their current workplaces, resulting in financial, social and emotional difficulties.
Raising concerns over the impact on women employees, AIESICNOF stated that nursing is largely a female-dominated profession and alleged that several women officers have been transferred to stations thousands of kilometres away without sufficient consideration of childcare responsibilities, spouse employment, children’s education or the care of elderly family members.
The federation also said it had pursued dialogue with ESIC authorities and the Ministry of Labour and Employment through meetings, written representations and conciliation proceedings before announcing the protest. However, it alleged that the concerns raised by the nursing community remained unresolved and that the transfer process continued despite its objections.
The Black Badge Protest is expected to continue for three days and marks the federation’s first coordinated nationwide action against the AGT-2026 transfer orders as it presses for a review of the transfer exercise and implementation of what it describes as a fair and transparent policy.
