SHILLONG, Aug 23: The Khasi Students Union (KSU) has placed before Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma twenty crucial points to revamp the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC), an institute that has been mired in controversy over its conduct of exams for elite posts in the state.
Submitting a memorandum to the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday, the KSU leadership said, “(We) humbly urge that these suggestions placed by the Union would be carefully deliberated in the upcoming assembly session.”
Some of the crucial points include removing the political leaning members of the commission, making the marks obtained by the candidates public, making it mandatory for all personal interviews for Grade A posts to be under the camera, and creating of a separate Cadre for Meghalaya since all IAS and IPS ranks are shared between Assam and Meghalaya.
“The Union has come up with these Twenty Point Reformative Steps to revamp the MPSC after deliberation with various stakeholders of the society which includes retired civil services officers, academicians, professors and members from different public service commission,” the KSU said while adding “The MPSC over decades has been a part of controversies of being biased, corrupted, nepotist and enticing bribery in its recruitment process and to some extent the allegations made out against the Commission is true but none can be made out because there is no system set in place to check such irregularities and these malpractices has now become a tradition in the Commission.”
It said that the Union has observed that over 50 years since the Commission has come to existence, there has been no change or effective amendments in its 1972 Regulations which will meet the needs of the current era and there is no recruitment rules or examinations rules to bring about uniformity in the recruitment process making the recruitment ambiguous, unfair and at the disposal of the Commission.
The memorandum also added that the Union time and again has address these issues pertaining to the Commission to the Government and in the recent weeks had hold demonstrations against the irregularities in the recruitment process conducted by the Commission for fair and transparent recruitment for the post of MCS, MPS, LDA and other posts.
“Through such efforts made by the Union in recent weeks, the Union is also uncovering several other dark secrets within the Commission which needs urgent intervention. Such kinds of irregularities in the Commission will keep on happening, if reforms through legislative rules are not put into action with immediate effect,” it said while adding that the Union demands that the Government should amend the regulations of the Commission and bring in a uniform recruitment and examination rules and other necessary changes uplifting the Commission.
The twenty point reformative steps include: Appointment of sufficiently qualified Chairman and Members of the Commission with no political affiliations.
Making it mandatory for the annual declaration of assets and liabilities by a public servant which includes the Chairman, Members and all the other staffs working in the Commission.
The creation of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Directorate. Also, applicants would require to be domicile of Meghalaya and must know Khasi or Garo language for any post to be able to apply in MPSC.
To hold a combined competitive examinations for posts with same pay scale and grade and for the MCS/MPS and other posts to be conducted annually.
Annual calendar including key dates for examinations will need to be published by the Commission.
Public disclosure of marks secured by candidates in any examinations, other tests and personal interview for any post conducted by the Commission must be mandatory, and Roll numbers of a candidates cannot be changed in between the recruitment process.
No changes should be made in the recruitment process once the process has started.
The Carbon copy of the OMR sheet should be supplied to the candidates. Released of answer key after examination and specific time frame to be given for challenging the answer key.
Recruitment process to be completed within 6 (six) months from the date of advertisement.
Abolition of personal interview for Grade B, C and D. While the Personal interview under camera for Grade A is a must.
Annual report by the Commission has to be made public.
Question papers to be highly confidential to avoid leakage.
Creation of Grievances Cell in the Commission is needed, suggested the KSU.
A demand has also been placed by the KSU for creating a Separate Cadre for Meghalaya.
Computer based test for future exams has also been suggested.
