Editor,
The fact that this present MDA government is indifferent to the plight of students is evident from the fact that the students’ scholarship had been pending for years. Recently, an amount was released by the government and disbursed to the students. However, only a few students received the scholarships. What about the rest who are anxiously waiting for their due share? Is this gesture of the government a sort of eyewash or an attempt to fool the public? If the government is intent on clearing the scholarships of students, it should do it for all. This part disbursement is only creating bad feelings among students.
In a family where there are three children studying, only one receives scholarship what would the other two feel? This is unnecessarily creating an air of unease in society. It arouses jealousy among those who are deprived of the benefit. If students of other tribal states like Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal or Mizoram are receiving regular scholarships and that too an amount much higher than what our Meghalayan students receive, it means that there is an allotted amount for scholarships with the government. How come our students are treated in this manner, deprived even of their rightful dues? This speaks volume of the government’s apathy towards students and towards education in general. This attitude becomes evident in the fact that this government does not consider it a priority to establish a state university at the earliest. I say this because of late so many of our deserving graduate students of the state have failed to secure admission in NEHU because that is a central university which has to cater to students of all states (although by virtue of affiliation, our students who graduated from colleges affiliated to NEHU should have been given preference).
Sad to say, there are so many Khasi and Garo graduates who are at a loss now not knowing where to turn to for higher studies. It looks like all doors of opportunity are closed to them. Many of them come from poor families and so they are unable to go to other universities where the fees are monstrously high. Does the government think about the plight of these poor students? If we were to have a state university, all such students would have been absorbed since a state university would be able to give preference to local students. Probably our ministers and rich politicians do not bother about this issue because they can afford to send their children to prestigious universities in India and abroad. I am terribly scandalized by the fact that our government’s priority is not in place. The CM and other ministers are busy inaugurating new blocks and sub-divisions, cultural centres, hotels etc and they seem oblivious of the more important issue like education. Shillong was once upon a time known as the educational city of Northeast India, but today it is Guwahati that has taken that honour. Elections are coming soon; it is time for the people of the state to vote on important issues and show the door out to a government that does not perform satisfactorily.
Yours etc.,
Barnes Mawrie sdb,
Via email
On fair Government recruitment
Editor
The contents of a letter under the heading ” FSO exam outside the syllabus ” (ST, December 7, 2022) if true should disturb everyone concerned. For candidates who have to answer questions outside the declared syllabus is nothing short of a flagrant breach of trust by a government commission set up to conduct fair and transparent recruitment. To clarify that “information about the syllabus was not passed to the question paper setter and the question was set at the highest level,” indicates the highest level of callousness and inefficiency. So, to restore some semblance of justice the candidates should demand that the exam be reconducted. But I doubt this will happen because our young people are too docile and usually vent their frustration when they are among themselves.
On another note: recently we saw an advertisement for 86 contractual posts of junior engineers. Think about it.. 86 posts! Hence, one cannot rule out the possibility that these were initially sanctioned posts or posts rendered vacant through retirements and therefore should be filled up as regular posts. We expect those who demand for an employment policy to dig deep into this or have they lost steam and become lethargic?
Yours etc.,
Samuel Swett
Shillong – 2.