Editor,
I would like to draw the attention of NEHU authorities through your esteemed column on the recent Employment Notice issued by the University for filling up various Non-Teaching Group “A” posts. In the advertisement it was specified that for SC/ST candidates and departmental candidates of NEHU, there would be relaxation of 5 % marks in Master’s Degree subject to the minimum of 50 per cent marks. It may be pointed out that the vacant post falls under “UR” category i.e. General category. Relaxation of 5 per cent marks for SC/ST candidates and departmental candidates of NEHU is in violation of UGC Regulations.
Take for instance the recent advertisement called by NIT Meghalaya for filling up various Non-Teaching Group “A” posts. They have not given any kind of relaxation in the marks for SC/ST candidates as the vacant post falls under “UR” category i.e. General category. This is in line with UGC Regulations.
I therefore urge the concerned NEHU authorities through your esteemed column to revisit their recent Employment Notice.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
NEHU does injustice to students
Editor,
We wish to express our grievances against the functioning of the NEHU Examination Department. Having received our end semester results on the September 22, 2017 and being disappointed with the marks obtained in our Honours paper, we decided to file an RTI. However before doing so we decided to wait for the arrival of our mark sheets to ascertain the marks obtained. We received the mark sheet on October 10 and filed the RTI the next day. After due procedure was followed the person in-charge assured us that she would contact us personally when the photocopy of our answer scripts arrives. We waited for weeks for the phone call which we never received. On personally enquiring about the matter again, we learnt that they had never even considered taking photocopies of our answer scripts. Only after we approached the person in-charge again were our answer scripts were sent to be photocopied on October 26. On receiving the answer scripts we showed them to the teachers concerned and they advised us to send our paper for re-evaluation.
As advised, we went to the UG Assistant Registrar, NEHU Shillong on October 30, to request for re-evaluation of our paper but she refused to accept them stating that the last date for re-evaluation was October 22. When the NEHU officials have themselves failed to provide us the photocopies of our answer scripts on time how can they expect us to submit our papers for re-evaluation on October 22 when we received the photocopies of our answer scripts only on the October 26, much after the specified date for re-evaluation? We tried to approach the UG Assistant Registrar with the application stating all the genuine reasons for the late submission for re-evaluation but this too was rejected on the plea that “the counter for re-evaluation has been closed.” In doing so the NEHU authorities have blatantly ignored their own failure to carry out their duties by providing us the photocopies of our answer scripts on time.
This is a grievous case of injustice towards students and we will be left with no alternative but to approach a court of law with all the documents. But the question is whether NEHU was created to serve the interests of students or to protect itself and its errant officials and faculty members.
Yours etc.,
Names withheld on request
Digital Life Certificate for Pensioners
Editor,
Come November and pensioners will face hurdles from the pension disbursing authority for getting a life certificate for transfer of pension amount for the next twelve months. This causes much hardship and inconvenience for the aged and infirm pensioners who have to present themselves before the particular authority to secure their life certificate. Jeevan Pramaan, Digital Life Certificate is a Digital India initiative which aims to streamline the process of getting life certificates and making it hassle free. It is a biometric enabled digital service where the pensioner has to record his/her fingerprint on scanner or the eye on the Iris scanner. This can be done at various Jeevan Pramaan Centres which are being operated by CSCs, Banks, and Government offices or by using the client application on any PC/mobile/tablet. Pensioner’s information like PPO, Bank Account etc are fed into the system though web based / client interface and finally these are authenticated using the 12 digit Aadhaar number only.
Ironically, state-wise Aadhaar saturation is very minimal for Assam and Meghalaya with 7.1% and 14.3% enrolments respectively. Nagaland has reached 55.2%. Enrolment centres for Aadhaar are not in place for residents of Assam. The enrolment is being conducted by the office of the Registrar General of India which is responsible for preparing the National Population Register (NPR). Since verification of NRC document is yet to be completed, the Aadhaar work has not started in Assam. But Aadhaar is now the identity of 1.3 billion population of India linked with LPG subsidy, Bank account, registration of flats etc. Aadhaar is now linked to ATM, Ration cards, MGNREGS database, Passports, PAN Card, Voter ID, etc. There is no other alternative available other than the UIDAI generated Aadhaar. The only way out is for UIDAI is to authorise banks to process the Aadhaar applications for its customers. The state government should draw up action plans to implement Aadhaar as early as possible for the interest of pensioners otherwise they will have to continue with the Physical Life Certificates in November too.
Yours etc,
Kamal Baruah,
Guwahati