What ails MPSC ?
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: July 17, 2012 -

Five months may be too short even to be counted in the geological timescale, but it is definitely a long period for the candidates who are waiting for the declaration of results of the Manipur Civil Services Combined (Main) Examination conducted by Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) from February 6 to 22, 2012.

Had the results been declared in time, the future of many of the candidates would have been already decided by now instead of keeping them in a state of uncertainty.

Of course, the wait for five months may be nothing when we take into account of the fact that it is a controversy-marred recruitment (by the way, has there been any recruitment by MPSC without controversy?) for which MPSC had published the advertisement on November 2, 2010 and the preliminary examination conducted on September 11, 2011 for short-listing of candidates for the main examination.

Nonetheless, it is questionable why MPSC has to take such a long time over declaring the results of an examination in which just 725 candidates had appeared, when the results of the numerous examinations conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) around the year with candidates appearing in terms of thousands hardly takes four months.

This only shows not just the incompetency but also the deep-rooted rot within the functioning and organizational set up of MPSC, which is a constitutional body constituted in pursuance of Article 315 of the Constitution of India for recommending candidates for recruitment to various important posts of the Government, and it definitely calls for a thorough cleansing.

With involvement in court cases over alleged replication of question papers from some websites, wrong answer keys provided to the questions asked, manipulation in tabulation of the marks secured by 'successful' candidates, and the resultant delay in declaration of the results, etc, becoming the 'normal' distinguishing features of any recruitment conducted by MPSC, the credibility over the functioning of the highest recruiting body in the state has been always left to questioning.

There have been also been cases where the Commission could not simply conduct the examination or cancel it altogether after inviting applications from eligible candidates.

Such instances leave a deep impact on the minds of many an educated youth in the state, who are discourage and pessimistic from appearing in the recruitments conducted by MPSC.

Instead, they prefer to go elsewhere and work for a living, thereby leading to 'draining of the best brain' that could have been an asset to the state.

If we remembered correctly, on the day of assuming the office of Chairman of MPSC on April 12, 2011, retired IFS officer and former Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Dr S Singsit had wondered why many brilliant Manipuris who should be working as officers in the administration of the state are working elsewhere.

He had also proposed that we should try to produce good students and encourage them to join the administration of the State for the development of Manipur.

More than one year down the line in the hot seat of Chairman of the highest recruiting body in the state Dr Singsit may have got the answer today.