Editor,
I am a parent whose ward had applied for Meghalaya Police Service ( MPS) called by the MPSC. One and half weeks ago my ward had received a letter for the physical test for the said exam. I was totally flabbergasted to know that the said “physical test” is mainly running 10 kms in 1 hour.Yes,60 minutes to complete 10kms. That works out to 1km in 6 minutes at a constant speed. Is the MPS exam which I had thought all along was an officer’s post? Is it possible for someone to train oneself to run 10 km in 1 hour? Even tests for CDS and IMA do not entail a candidate to run such a distance. It means that the new batch of MPS will be more brawns than brains. I had thought all along that an MPS officer would have to use more of brains than brawns. It would have been better if one would have to run for, say a distance, of 1km within 12 minutes just to see if a candidate is fit enough. It’s such a farce. Coming to the main exams too, where a candidate has to sit for one English essay, two papers of General Knowledge, one paper of English, 2 papers each of optionals, and these too are all essay type of answers. Do all the MPS officers, like all the present ones use their ability to write such exams in their fields of policing? Somebody from MPSC just googled “syllabus for civil services”, copied it and pasted it with a cover of MPSC. Well done! Does one really need to study all this and vomit it out at the examination hall never to remember what one studied or memorized? Would it not have been better to test candidates on logic, aptitude, English, General Knowledge etc., so that all candidates from whatever backgrounds would have an even playing field. The MPSC could then finally weed out and filter deserving candidates. Somebody should really revamp the whole examination pattern and knock some good old “common sense” into the people deciding the future of many souls and in general our state Meghalaya.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
On consortium
Editor,
Apropos Nesfield B Sangma’s partial definition of the word “CONSORTIUM” the word may also be applied in different context. According to Wikipedia, Consortium is a Latin word, meaning “partnership”, “association” or “society” and derives from consors ‘partner’, itself from con- ‘together’ and sors ‘fate’, meaning owner of means or comrade. A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments (or any combination of these entities) with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal.
Your’s etc.,
Eva Booth
Shillong – 3
On red beacons and VIPs
Editor,
The recent order of the Supreme Court of India to restrict the unauthorised fitting of red beacons on vehicles must have adversely affected many of those who stand to forfeit this blatant show of authority and power. I fail to understand why public servants, be they politicians or bureaucrats shamelessly want to class themselves as VIPs before the public when they are not truly so and most importantly when they have not really delivered on their responsibilities. For instance, those in the State Forest Department have not done much to safeguard and protect our forests and environment. Day by day we see our forest cover diminishing and our wildlife disappearing. Indiscriminate mining goes on unchecked while our rivers become polluted and die. This means that for many years our forest officers have not been able to sincerely perform their duties. If they have any excuse for not being able to do so and if there are obstacles which prevent them for doing what is expected of them it means that we don’t really need these officers. The very fact that they have not been able to circumvent these obstacles for so many years since Meghalaya was created would signify that the State could have done without such a top heavy Department and that it has become redundant to have so many officers in such a Department. Strangely we see the maximum number of VIPs in the Forest Department. It is as if every senior officer there is a VIP judging from the number of vehicles with red beacons parked in their premises or moving around with their families. Shame indeed!
Yours etc.,
K.Dkhar
Via email
Wannabe VIPs
Editor,
The recent Supreme Court ruling prohibiting misuse of the red beacon amongst many VIPs and self proclaimed VIP elites is a welcome step. However, even after the apex court ruling the state government authorities through the Home Department is yet to issue a strict public notification with regards to the use and permission to use of the beacon. The police department is also asked to take notice on the use of red beacon and to adhere to the Supreme Court’s directive which equally applies to other lesser elite mortals who love to flaunt their ‘red lights’ along with their foul mouthed escorts. Hope sense prevails in this state.
Your etc.,
Dominic S. Wankhar
Shillong-3