Let there be no more dilly-dallying in the recruitment of college Assistant Professors

Khelsoril Wanbe *

Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) Building in Imphal :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

After a hiatus of about nine years, MPSC issued the advertisement for recruitment of lecturers and Assistant Professors for Higher Secondary Schools and Colleges of Manipur, respectively. Many qualified senior as well as younger youths were excited that they were going to become teachers in higher secondary schools and colleges. Written exams for the higher secondary lecturers have been held; but interviews for the recruitment of Assistant Professors for colleges in Manipur seem to have been forgotten and the Commission seems to have been placed in a suspended animation.

There must be some reasons unknown behind the long delay. When I went to enquire the reason for the delay, some at the Commission office told me new MPSC chairman is yet to be appointed and it is the newly appointed chairman who will be setting the dates of interviews. Yes, so far, we/I haven't heard about the appointment of new Chairman for MPSC, forget about appointment of lecturers or assist profs; so everything is hanging from the thread of uncertainty right now.

But considering what happened in the last college lecturers' recruitment that took place between 2006 and 2008 i.e., about two years, the present recruitment process may still appear to be young. This time, unlike or like last time, updating of degree like PhD is not allowed; I only hope this is strictly maintained till the end of the recruitment process. What I mean to say is that, in the last recruitment held between 2006- 2008, updating were obviously allowed for I know through news reports, complaints and personal knowledge that there were some candidates who got qualified or became eligible only two/three months before the final interviews, in other words, two years after the last date of application forms submission got selected and appointed.

I and some friends passed UGC-conducted NET in June, 2007, that was midway between the last date of submission of application forms in November, 2006 and the final interviews in May, 2008. When went to the Commission and enquired if it was still possible to submit the application forms which we had taken but could not submit as we had not yet qualified by the the last date of submission of application forms, the answer was super-negative and we thought that was okay.

But later we were shocked to the hilt when some, whom we knew had not yet qualified by the last date of submission of the application forms in November, 2006 and even much later than we did clear NET, finally got selected and appointed. I was wondering if the Commission was really fair and free from corruption or whether the rumours of the commission indulging in corruption were actually true.

Our esteemed Commission, MPSC, has, of course, in the recent time, commendably conducted some important recruitment although that too in the midst of controversies, complaints, court cases and loopholes. It is sad that in a tiny economically backward state like ours where there are thousands of well educated youth, corruption is being nourished and allowed to flourish freely instead of promoting healthy competitions to select the best.

What we have been hearing every now and then is that of the price tags of some of our state's supposedly lucrative government jobs being sold in the ranges of 15-80 lakhs, which might be absolutely or partially true, but rumours have definitely been going the rounds. And yes, it's not my intention to cast doubts and aspersions on the authenticity of the highly esteemed posts being gotten by my beloved friends and foes.

Some have definitely asserted that the highly coveted posts were gotten through clean and tough competitions but there are also powerful rumours that cast clouds of doubts and suspicions on the way in which such posts had been gotten. Well past is past; I salute all those that have succeeded in ploughing and shoving through all the hurdles and obstacles and have earned themselves coveted government posts.

But if the trend of the rumoured buying and selling of state jobs is allowed to continue, the future of our state is definitely grim, gloomy and dark. But who can bring about the needed radical changes. Can the government alone do that or the people alone or will it require the co-operation of all sections of people living in the land.

I always wonder how the mega national recruitment agency like UPSC is by and large free from corruption and scams whereas our relatively miniature recruitment agency, MPSC, is perennially fraught with controversies, scams, corruption and other unwanted elements. MPSC needs to allow itself to go through a complete overhaul and come out clean of all the controversies, allegations, accusations, scams enveloping it in the recent years if we want to see a better future in the state. Through the vigilance and co-operation of all the denizens of this Land of Jewels this will be possible.

The present recruitment process of Assistant Professors for colleges should be expedited without further undue delay considering the fact that for so many years the same recruitment had not been held and the Commission also should strictly follow the rules and regulations laid down by UGC, the highest national commission for recruitment of college and university teaching faculties. MPSC should amend the loopholes that had been pointed out with regard to the marking system which does not take into account the candidates teaching experience, publication of articles, seminar presentations, etc.

Failure of taking these academic performances into account amounts to denial of the candidates long, hard and diligent academic efforts. Basing the selection mainly on the academic performance of the candidates from Matriculation to PhD by assigning maximum marks to the performance in the graduation and post-graduation exams too does not seem to comply with what is normally followed in university and college recruitments all over India under the guidance of UGC regulations. Marks allotted for interview i.e., 15% is too small.

And also, it needs to be taken into account that the marks and percentage scored by the candidates may largely differ due to different marking evaluation systems/modes at different colleges and universities in India. Some institutions/universities are more liberal/generous in giving marks, whereas some universities follow much tighter marking system; and apparently, marking mode also differs from time to time even in the same institution/university, say Manipur University of 1999 and that of 2014.

Without undue delay, MPSC should make all necessary amends and modifications to its selection/ marking systems and conduct the interviews at the earliest possible. It is, in fact, very unfortunate for the many candidates who have been denied their rights to work in their native state for so many years. So many well qualified people are today working all over India just because they were never provided with opportunities that are freely available in other states.

Have we ever imagined how many Manipuri teachers are teaching in colleges and universities in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, Delhi, Punjab, Maharashtra, Sikkim and many other places? Lastly but not the least, I too am a candidate for the above-discussed recruitment. Some friends asked me whether I have made some special contacts; I tell them, no way, no need,

I don't have and I'm not willing to succumb to the temptation of indulging in bribery and corruption. Well if I'm not selected that's okay, I'll look for alternative way; but I would like to shout out loud on behalf of all those who have been waiting for Godot for many precious years of their life to work as a college lecturers in this trouble-torn, salary-starved, poverty-stricken state called Ima Manipur.