There may be fists of furies amongst the elected representatives of the State Assembly. There may be shattered dreams when an MLA or a Minister fail to keep the promise of providing a post of teacher to his voters or near and dear ones.

But believe it or not, the result of the DPC for the appointment of graduate teachers has surprised many poor but meritorious candidates when they have got their names included in the list of selected teachers.

The DPC for appointment graduate teachers, the result of which has been declared last week can be termed as one of the DPCs of Education Department completed in the shortest period of time in the history of employment in Manipur. The DPC has been performed in a purely merit basis. I have got concrete fact which proves and supports this view.

Truly speaking, three candidates who were my former students got selected in Mathematics and Arts groups. I know very well the family backgrounds of these three appointed teachers. In these days of corruption and favouritism while money play a big role in getting a job, they have got neither money nor blessings of higher official to appoint them as teachers. But their merits at last have worked in favour of their fate.

There is exclamation with joy of one of the three who always wear a grim face of disappointment in life because his girl-friend has deserted him because of his poverty and unemployment. He says 'Budhachandra, Nandakumar and Ibobi are the three names which I will never forget in the rest of my life.

The first being an Education Commissioner, the second and third being Education Minister and Chief Minister. There may be blames on the SPF Govt, but to me they are the best and the present Govt is the best in the appointment of teachers'.

In fact no one has ever imagined that the result of the DPC for appointment of graduate teachers will be declared so soon. But this time it really does the exact thing that should be done. As far as my knowledge goes, the appointment is made purely on merit of the candidates. In support of my view let me put my observation here more.

I have come across at least a score of successful candidate when there are coming to collect or to submit their offer forms of appointment. All the candidates told me that it was a surprise, a pleasant surprise that could definitely change their lives for the better.

One of the selected candidates said that he had already given up the hope of getting a Govt job and had reconciled to his fate and managed to live with the paltry amount that he got from his private tuition. But, last week one of his friends rang him up on the morning on which the list of the selected candidates were published. His friend told him about the result.

Actually, he had taken it as a joke. Even when he saw his names in the newspaper, he thought that there may be other candidate with the same name and surname because at that moment he had forgotten his roll-number. He quickly checked his roll number and then he was in heaven.

It also happens in the life of young married couple, both of them are working as lecturers in a private Higher Secondary School. They have sat in the examination only for the examination's sake because in these days of corruption, finding a Govt job is already out of their minds and out of their imagination.

But lo! both of them are appointed in posts of mathematics teachers. Now their only wish is their place of posting. They want their postings in the same school if it is in the hills or somewhere in the valley where they can manage to live together with their own family.

While there is joy and happiness on the faces of the candidates whom I have met, there is also anxieties that befall on the face of a certain Principal of a private in Imphal East district. Altogether eight teachers from his school were selected as graduate teachers. He has to miss the service of these good teachers. This makes him sad.

Out of eagerness to take the comment of the officials of the Education Department, this writer went to the residence of Commissioner Education (s) on one cold and misty morning last week.

Brimming with smile he received me and when I have narrated the happiness and thrills that felt in the hearts of those selected candidates and blessings showered on the commissioner through me, Commissioner Education(s) Budhachandra simply said 'The credit is not mine. It is the good work done by the present SPF Govt, especially the Chief Minister and the Education Minister.

My department only does whatever we are told to do. There were no pressure form any quarters, the pressure is only to choose the best-teachers from the DPC.

I have written many articles in this column before about the appointment of teachers in the Education Department.

I am here also repeating the same. That is the appointment of good and competent teachers directly relates to the success of quality education in Manipur. The recently announced DPC for appointment of graduate teacher is a right step.

There is a firm belief that this method of appointment must be followed in the coming DPC for appointment of teachers.