Madness of MPSC in college assistant professors recruitment

Marchang Reimeingam *

Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) Building in Imphal in March 2013 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

It's a height of madness that Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) could not do screening of application for the post of college assistant professors in Manipur with the candidate's information given in the application form and educational qualifications documents. This is being simplified by MPSC by conducting a screening test.

However, test mark will not be added in the final merit list of selection for the positions as per MPSC notification. Screening test has indeed simplified prudentially the process of short-listing of application forms. Hardly any institution or university conduct such test for recruitment of assistant professor positions. It is not astonishing that such test is initiated by MPSC. It's a sign of inability and failure to shot-listing process.

Many applicants who have completed Ph.D. prior to the year 2009 but without NET/SLET have been rejected. Presumptuously, this is one of the criteria set to reject the candidature.

However, if one carefully examines the nature of short-listing to admit in the screening test for the post of assistant professor the story is different. As much as 157 applicants were asked to submit documents of "UGC Regulation, 2009 compliance certificate from concern University/Inst. which awarded Ph.D." as per the MPSC notification No.7/16/2014-MPSC(DR) dated 19th October, 2015.

Undoubtedly, these are also candidates who do not have NET/SLET. If they also possessed NET/SLET their application would have been short-listed instantly like other applicants who have NET/SLET. It is irony that MPSC has failed to understand a simple UGC Regulation 2009 which is prescribed for those candidates who register in Ph.D. after 2009. Roughly 54 applicants who have completed Ph.D. prior to the year 2009 but without NET/SLET (excluding the over-aged Ph.D. degree holders) have been rejected according to MPSC notification No.7/16/2014-MPSC(DR) dated 19th October, 2015.

The question is how MPSC is considerate enough to applicants who registered and possessed Ph.D. certificate after 2009 and rejected those candidates who completed Ph.D. prior to 2009. There is no separate UGC Rules and Regulations for Manipur. MPSC has made a blunder in this regard. All other Universities and Institutions in India are considering pre-2009 Ph.D. degree holders as eligible for applying for the post of assistant professor while MPSC do not.

But, controversially, MPSC think that post-2009 Ph.D. degree holders are eligible for the same post. It is difficult to digest how this process is being accepted by the Government. Perhaps both MPSC and Manipur government are rowing on the same both in same direction. There is no space to think by MPSC that Ph.D. holders prior to 2009 do not comply UGC Regulation, 2009.

For example, Jawaharlal Nehru University certified that "in JNU, the process of admission, registration, course work and evaluation as prescribed by the UGC Regulation 2009 is always followed by the University for award of M.Phil/M.Tech/Ph.D degree" as per the notification No.Eval.I/3(43)/2014 posted in their website.

MPSC cannot simply doubted and reject applicants who have pre-2009 Ph.D. due to the non-compliance of UGC Regulation 2009 that is incorrect for many universities such as JNU. UGC Regulation 2009 came into force from 2009 onwards and UGC did not nullify pre-2009 Ph.D. degree on the basis of the Regulation till date.

How MPSC justify a candidate who have completed Ph.D. in 2010 or 2011 or 2012 or even in 2013 who might have registered in or before 2009 as eligible for the post? It is not very easy to complete Ph.D. with course work in four years especially in social sciences. Moreover, there are many candidates who registered prior to 2009 in the list of candidates to submit UGC Regulation 2009 compliance certificate.

It's portrays the madness of MPSC in recruitment process for the posts. If candidates having Ph.D. but without NET/SLET has to be rejected or short-listed then both pre- and post- 2009 Ph.D. degree holders should have been rejected or short-listed. It is erroneous to shortlist or gives time to take a chance to submit documents of UGC Regulation 2009 compliance certificate to those post-2009 Ph.D. candidates and not at all to pre-Ph.D. applicants as done by MPSC because it is desirable that MPSC follow and adopt UGC Rules and Regulations wholly for appointment of assistant professor. It is necessary because assistant professors in government colleges under Manipur University are under UGC.

It is also surprising that short-listed applicants name are notified part by part in the MPSC website notification No.7/16/2014-MPSC (DR)/I and II dated 26th October 2015 to collect admit cards for the screening test. This clearly indicates that some candidates submitted UGC Regulation 2009 compliance certificate, NET certificate, etc. But the confusion did not end there. Some of these candidates, who were asked to collect admit cards for the screening test, name were neither appeared in the previously rejected list nor appeared in the previous list of applicants for document submission. So it is very strange and conniving act of short-listing for the screening test.

It is surprising that MPSC could not understand a simple UGC Regulation 2009. MPSC has all rights to amend any rules but should be just to all. The wisdom of MPSC is call forth for future recruitment process particularly for the post of assistant professor.