Govt Depts defying Cabinet decision
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 30 2018:
Although the State Government issued an order last year declaring that interviews would not be held for recruitment to Grade III and Grade IV posts, most Government Departments including the Assembly Secretariat have not been complying with the same order.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech of 2015, announced that the earlier practice of holding interviews for recruitment of junior level posts (Grade III and Grade IV) would be done away with.
In line with the Prime Minister's announcement, the State Cabinet adopted a resolution on March 24, 2017 to discontinue the practice of holding interviews in direct recruitment in junior level posts in all Government Departments with immediate effect.
On March 28 the same year, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (Personnel Division) issued an order to this effect.
The order issued by the Commissioner (DP) mentioned that if any recruitment process for junior level posts was underway in any department, the matter should be placed before the State Cabinet.
Contrary to the Government's order, 12 employees were recruited in the Assembly Secretariat in January this year through interview/viva voce.
The posts recruited were Assistant Curator (1), Conservation Assistant (1), Guide Lecturer (4), Receptionist (2) and Gallery Attendant (4).Again, one Translator, two Reporters, two LDAs and one Peon were recruited in February on regular basis through written examination and interview/ viva voce.
Results for direct recruitment of one Compositor and one Assistant Security Sub-Inspector in the Assembly Secretariat were announced on November 30 this year.
For the post of the Assistant Security Sub-Inspector, both physical test and interview were held.
But many of these posts are either Grade III or Grade IV which implies that the Prime Minister's announcement and the Cabinet decision to do away with interview were not complied with.
As such, many quarters have questioned whether the Assembly Secretariat has the authority to defy Cabinet decisions and Government orders.
A notification issued for recruitment of 413 posts of Multi Tasking Staff (MTS) in Education (S) Department spelled out mat there would be 35 marks for written test and 15 marks for practical tests which means that the same Cabinet decision and the Government order have been violated.
Due process for recruitment of 675 posts each for setting up 10th and 11th IRB battalions was initiated recently.
Meanwhile, many quarters have pointed out that the recruitment process for the total 1350 Rifleman should not have any interview if the Government is committed to uphold its own decision and order.
Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi came with the idea of discontinuing the practice of holding interviews for junior level posts with a conviction that the new approach can bring transparency to such recruitment processes.
Even though a Cabinet meeting held at Senapati district headquarters recently discussed about setting up a recruitment commission like Manipur Public Service Commission so as to bring transparency to recruitment in junior level posts no concrete action has been initiated on the matter so far, informed a source.