Five letters one message

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Five letters, one message

By Ranjan Yumnam *

A few days ago, the editorial of this paper wondered, in essence, whether the MPSC will be able to shake off its past record of bungling and corruption and make this year’s MCS recruitment process transparent and free from underhand methods, nepotism and graft. So far, the state’s highest recruitment agency has conducted itself in a remarkable manner, which is uncharacteristic given its blotted history.

Maybe, well maybe, this time around, it is really going to go by the book of rules and do something unimaginable in Manipur—a fair selection process that will reward merit and not the below-the-table quid pro quo tricks. That’s the Hope.

And this MPSC under the stewardship of Dr. Amarjeet may well spring that feat of a surprise on us. We should wish them luck and lots of courage, even bravado, so that they may get the free hand to run their affairs in the manner they like without interference from any quarters.

MPSC Office at Imphal, Manipur

What makes this hope a little subdued is the fact that MPSC is a part of the rotten organic system that sucks everything in and turns diamond into charcoal. Despite our wishful thinking, it might take superhuman efforts on the part of the MPSC members to shield themselves from the immense pressure, temptations and threats in the run up to the declaration of the results of the exams.

It is not only the MPSC that needs to be above board, but all the stakeholders must realise that transparency in selection will be in the interest of one and all. And it is in this context that I want to convey some of my humble thoughts to people who matter and can ensure an incident-free MCS exam that doesn’t bring in its wake strings of litigations.

Needless to say, litigations have a way of dragging forever and in the process they ruin the careers and spirit of many bright young men. They may also drive these frustrated souls to the wall, turning them into canon fodders for a thousand mutinies. And you thought insurgencies took root out of nothing.

So here are some short letters addressed to the movers and shakers who can influence the integrity quotient of the MPSC. The first one is for the CM.

“Dear Honourable Chief Minister,
Sir, you the only Chief Minister ever to complete a full term in the history of Manipur. The icing on the cake is that you have earned the Chief Ministership for yet another term. How lucky you are sir. That’s a personal record and—if you so wish—take it as vindication of people’s trust in you. We don’t begrudge your ability and political acumen; rather we are proud of them.

But it’s time you put them not only to win brownie points with your political rivals, but to bring all round reforms to resuscitate this sick state. Decide for yourself whether you want to be the joker, as JM Lyngdoh might have said, at the head of a crumbling state or a visionary leader of a progressive state.

We believe you can deliver the goods if you are really intent for it, now that your political position is secure with even your mistress well on way to become a Rabri Devi. Sir, if Laloo Prasad Yadav, seemingly a village yokel, can transform the Indian railways into a world class miracle story, then there is nothing preventing you from putting Manipur on the right track to progress and development.

To do that, you need to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for rooting out corruption. Then you also need competent and visionary young blood to help you formulate right policies and execute them. You can attract the precocious young Turks only if you allow the MPSC to recruit the most deserving and talented would-be policymakers, planners and strategists to help you shape a new Manipur.

Even more crucial for you is that this might be also your only chance to wash your hands off the image of a 10 per cent Chief Minister. We wish you the best, sir.”

“Dear MPSC Chariman and members,
Respected wise men, it makes our head spin whenever we think about you. Yours is a constitutional institution drawing mandate directly from the Indian Constitution and protected by the same. As you must be aware, the government cannot remove you at its own will nor reduce your term or compensation.

In terms of autonomy, you are on par with judiciary, Election Commission and of course UPSC. If you really wish, you can make MPSC impregnable from any kind of external pressures. We are pinning our hopes on the belief that MPSC is manned by real men who can withstand any forms of blandishments and threats. Our head spins because we don’t understand why in the past MPSC succumbed to manipulation by vested interests. You can make a difference this time. It’s upto you, gentlemen.”

“Dear Chief Secretary,
You are arguably the most popular Chief Secretary Manipuris have ever had. So much so that it is not unusual for a regular reader of newspapers to find your name mentioned in the letters to the editors column beseeching you to look into some public grievances or the other.

As the head of the civil service in the state, it’s incumbent upon you to select the best minds as your deputies from this MCS exam. You have the gravitas and the influence to make this exam a genuine one, and not just a bidding war or a racket. Our blessings are with you, sir.”

“Dear sundry and all organisations,
We can’t advise you or determine your course of actions but we can appeal to you. Please don’t misconstrue this as our presumption that you will interfere in the smooth functioning of MPSC. But far from it. What we expect from you is a complete detachment.

Civil societies and others can intervene only when there is a need for it. For instance, when evidences of jobs being bought at a price come into light, they can swing into action with their own methods and resources. Best of luck.”

“Dear candidates,
This letter should have been the central piece of this write-up. Corruption occurs when there is someone who is either willing to take the short-cuts or bend the rules for a price. It’s a two-way traffic. It involves a giver and a receiver.

The problem with Manipur is that we have a situation in which demand for jobs outstrips the supply side by many times. This has led to such a scenario that people don’t think twice before sucking upto some minister or a greedy bureaucrat and dangling dollops of money to buy their influence to secure a job, a contract and other benefits.

We complain about corruption but when it comes to the grind, we fall into the very trap that we denounce. This might happen to the latest crop of MCS candidates who are going to face the final round of interviews during the next one month or so. If you are that kind of candidate, please don’t read further; nothing can reform you. Candidates should have that sporting spirit and compete on the basis of merit.

Here, I want to distinguish between two types of candidates who demand fairness and honesty. The first category belongs to the families who can’t afford the hefty price tag. That’s a fait accompli and there’s nothing great about it.

However, I reserve my deep respects for the second breed of candidates who have the means to bribe their way but would desist from corrupt practice on moral grounds. To them, fair play, moral courage and principles matter more than the prospects of a good life.

It needs a tremendous amount of character to overcome the temptation to buy a plum job. And that class of character and moral rectitude is what this MCS exam is supposed to detect and reward.

Are you the one?”

* This young talented writer is a frequent contributor to e-pao.net. He has recently started a new column in The Sangai Express print version, under the label Whistleblower. He has a weblog in the name of Whistleblower and can be contacted at ranjanyumnam(at)gmail(dot)com
This article was webcasted on May 09, 2007.

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