KSA sees red over MAHUD job test
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, May 23 2024:
Maintaining that the MAHUD minister and commissioner cannot deny their involvement in the recruitment process of the Town Planning Department, allegedly conducted in violation of existing norms, Kangleipak Students' Association (KSA) has demanded resignation of both on moral ground.
Addressing media persons at its Khoyathong office, here, on Thursday, general secretary Sanjoy Khullakpam said KSA had alerted the public regarding allegations of favouritism and nepotism in the recruitment of JO assistant town planners and assistant architects, followed by submission of complaint letter to the chief secretary on May 7, seeking cancellation of the recruitment process but without any positive response till date.
He also conveyed that the posts of assistant town planner and assistant architect, both of gazetted status, should be filled through recruitment conducted by the Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) .
However, taking undue advantage of a period of inactivity of MPSC, the department went ahead with the recruitment process solely through interviews.
The department's choice for direct recruitment via interviews for these esteemed positions indicates indulgence in nepotism and favouritism, the secretary maintained.
Sanjoy further stated in-spite of the recruitment procedure overseen by an Officer-level committee as per a decision of the state cabinet, it was the committee that determined the method of recruitment.
The issue at hand is why, when the recruitment for the post of assistant architects at PWD was carried out by MPSC through written tests and interviews, a similar written test was not conducted for the recruitment process in the town planning department.
Meanwhile, the office memorandum from the department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, dated July 16, 2021, explicitly stated that MPSC would be empowered to oversee the recruitment process for Group A and B posts.
Despite the commitment to conduct the recruitment within a specified timeframe, it was imperative that a written test be administered under all circumstances.
The absence of such a test signifies lack of transparency and accountability.
Therefore, the recruitment process should be invalidated and fresh recruitment process initiated through MPSC,
demanded the secretary.