Knotty higher education sector
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: June 25, 2022 -

IF at all results of the teachers' recruitment are declared and processes for appointment of regular principals of colleges completed expeditiously, then the student organisations wouldn't have to raise a hue and cry over shortcomings in the state's education sector.

There must be some serious reasons for the various Student bodies to repeatedly criticise the government as nobody would dare to level allegations against the authorities.

The fact that protest demonstrations by students and student organisations have been common phenomena in the state underscores that the education system is not up to the satisfaction of the concerned stakeholders regardless of the government authorities claiming improvement in the sector.

It's also an unmissable coincidence on the same day volunteers of Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur locked up the office of Education (University) Directorate, the Department of Higher and Technical Education issued a statement informing that numerous steps are being taken up underthe guidance of education minister Th Basanta and chief minister N Biren to bring a cohesive educational environment in all government educational institutions of the state.

As per the statement, recruitment of 182 Group C & D posts on contractual basis has been taken up and referred to the Department of Personnel as consonance with the required procedure.

It also mentioned that process for recruitment of 257 teaching & non-teaching posts at Dhanamanjuri University has been taken up and is awaiting approval to declare the results.

Similarly, process has already been initiated for recruitment of 22 regular principals of government colleges and the department is currently preparing the requirements for sending requisition to MPSC after placing before the state cabinet for approval.

The statement, made available to the press hours after the office lock-up agitation was launched to denounce non-appointment of regular principals of colleges, clarified that the Department had been doing the needful to fill up the vacant posts and cited non-availability of principal candidates, who fulfil the UGC guidelines as one of the factors for some post of regular principal remaining vacant.

While it is rather embarrassing to learn that there are not enough principal candidates in the state who meet the UGC guidelines, the Department's statement conveyed that for better administration of colleges, the government has already handed the charge of principals in some colleges to newly promoted professors, who are at par with the regular principals in terms of eligibility.

It's perplexing that Manipur has shortage of candidates fit enough for appointment as regular principals, as per the department, whereas the newly promoted professors were found technically qualified to hold the same post.

It seems that the Department owes an explanation as to why the Manipur Public Service Commission faced shortage of candidates for appointment of only 25 regular principals when newly promoted professors were found at par with the eligibility criteria.

Notwithstanding the ifs and buts with regard to absence of regular principals, it is suggested that processes pending for filling up vacant posts in the colleges are expedited in a transparent manner for the slightest lapses or irregularities, if any, in the recruitment process will definitely draw the wrath of the student bodies and ultimately affect cordial atmosphere in educational institutions amid on-going campaigns for making education sector disturbance-free.