MAHUD dismisses job test irregularity slur
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 24 2024: The department of Municipal Administration Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD), Manipur has clarified that the allegations of irregularities in the recruitment process for filling up vacant positions of assistant town planners and assistant architects levelled by Kangleipak Students' Association (KSA) are unfounded while providing a point-by-point rebuttal to address the concerns raised.

In a statement issued Friday, MAHUD refuted the allegations and claimed adherence to guidelines and protocols.

The department emphasised its commitment to meeting the mandatory reforms milestones set forth under the Central Government's Scheme of Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SACI) 2023-24.One such milestone involved the recruitment to fill at least 50 per cent of the vacant sanctioned posts in the Town Planning Department.

The proposal for recruitment was deliberated upon and approved by the state cabinet in January this year.

Due to the non-functionality of Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) at the time, the cabinet authorised the recruitment through an Officer s Level Committee, with exemptions from MPSC oversight.

Prior to proceeding with the recruitment process, the department obtained concurrence from the finance department and the department of personnel, ensuring adherence to administrative procedures.

An Officer s Level Committee, comprising senior officials, was tasked with overseeing the recruitment process.

During its meeting on February 7, 2024, the Committee concluded that due to the limited timeframe (less than 10 days) remaining to meet the mandatory urban reforms milestone by February 15, 2024, as stipulated under SACI, the recruitment method for the five vacant positions of assistant town planners and same number of assistant architects in the Town Planning Department would involve interviews exclusively.

This decision aligned with past practices, drawing parallels to previous recruitment instances for Class A & B positions, which historically relied solely on interview assessments, as evidenced by practices in 1980, 1985, and 1990.The department reiterated the transparency of the recruitment process along with reminding about publication of employment notifications in various newspapers and on the official website of the Town Planning Department.

A total of 71 eligible applicants were identified for the recruitment.

Notably, there were no requests from any applicant for an alternate interview location or for online participation.

All seven eligible Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates attended the interviews in person.

The recruitment interviews took place on February 13, 2024, under the leadership of Commissioner (MAHUD).

The panel comprised mem bers from the department of personnel (DP), the Town Planning Department, and subject matter experts from other departments.

The proceedings of the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) were submitted to the department of personnel (DP) for approval of the result declaration which the DP granted on March 11, 2024.Subsequently, the results for the recruitment of 4 assistant town planners and 5 assistant architects on regular basis were announced by the secretariat of MAHUD department on March 15.Only 4 positions for assistant town planners were filled due to the insufficient availability of ST candidates for the remaining posts.

There are no existing government orders or official memorandums mandating a written test for the recruitment of Group A & B posts, even under the purview of the Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC), unless specified by the relevant recruitment rules.

Typically, in cases where there is a large pool of candidates, a written test is conducted to shortlist candidates for subsequent interviews or viva voce assessments.

Additionally, historical precedent indicates that in previous recruitments for positions such as the Gazetted Pass-A post of junior town planner in 1998 (now designated as assistant town planner) and assistant architects in 1980 and 1985 within the department, the MPSC solely conducted interviews for candidate selection.

Addressing concerns about nepotism, the department clarified that the selection of candidates, including the son of a former chief town planner, was based solely on merit.

The involvement of the former chief town planner in the recruitment process was explicitly denied by the department.

In conclusion, the statement emphasised that the recruitment process was conducted without any procedural lapses or irregularities.

It urged KSA and the public not to harbour any doubts regarding the integrity of the recruitment process.

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