Even as the state government gears up for recruitment of 750 vacant posts in the six Autonomous District Councils, several questions have been raised with regard to the modalities of the recruitment process and absence of actual reservation figures besides the legality of holding such recruitment by ignoring the four new ADCs and the political issue of such a large-scale recruitment in the absence of elected ADCs.
It has been two years since elections to the various Autonomous District Councils has been put off for one reason or the other, while the Manipur High Court order for creation of four new ADCs in Kamjong, Pherzwal, Noney and Tengnoupal districts had been sidelined in the whole recruitment process.
The state Tribal Affairs & Hills Department has fixed December 13 as the date for conducting written examination for a total of 750 Group C and D posts which is spread across six districts of Chandel, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Tamenglong, Senapati and Ukhrul with each ADC getting 125 posts each.
The recruitment notice for 750 posts for the six (old) ADCs was first issued on March 21 this year by ignoring the HC judgement and Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils (Sixth Amendment) Act, 2022 with regard to creation of the four new ADCs. But, it was put on hold due to Covid 19 restrictions.
A fresh recruitment notice was issued by the CEOs of the six ADCs on November 8 following a directive from state TA & Hills Department, once again ignoring the four new ADCs created by the relevant Act and HC order.
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With regard to reservation, the recruitment notice did not spell out either the number of posts specifically allocated to SC, ST and OBC as mandated by norms and convention, or whether the reservation would be under 100 point rooster or 200 point rooster.
A convey letter issued by TA & Hills on December 1 says that state government policy regarding reservation of posts for various categories in direct recruitment would be followed. Yet, it still leaves room for manipulation and juggling in the number of posts.
With regard to Group C posts that is of Primary Teachers and Non-Teaching posts, the government letter says that there will be a written test for 90 marks and an Oral test of teaching in local language and skill or fitness test for non-teaching posts carrying 10 marks each.
As per the government letter, a confusion has been created as to in which ‘local language or dialect’ the oral test is to be conducted.
For example, in the case of Tamenglong district, local language or dialect would include that of Rongmei, Zeme, Liangmai and several others. It is the same in the case of other districts like Senapati and Churachandpur also.
According to the general directive, the test would be multiple choice type questions carrying one mark each and that the questions for the Group C posts would be prepared at the state level but paper evaluation would be arranged by the respective CEOs.
However, there is no mention of whether the answer sheets would be assessed by using Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) system which leaves little room for manipulation or mark tempering. In the said system, every answer sheet is processed by a scan using the OMR.
On the other hand, the eligibility criteria for Primary teachers which prescribes an essential qualification of either TET passed or diploma and degree in elementary education over and above senior secondary, graduate or post-graduates has somehow created an unprecedented frenzy in the dubious market of fake certificates and degrees.
According to sources, while the validity of Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) is somewhat difficult to manipulate, the diplomas and degrees in high demand is that of DIET (District Institute of Education & Training) and BEd (Bachelor of Education) in the black market.
In view of these circumstances, there are several calls for postponement of the written test till the discrepancies in recruitment modalities are corrected and documents checked for authenticity.
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