Editor,
The Meghalaya Police Recruitment process has been marred by delays, causing frustration and disappointment among aspiring candidates. This has been a persistent issue in recent years, with multiple instances of delays reported in various stages of the recruitment process. While the reasons behind these delays are varied, it is clear that urgent action is needed to address this issue and ensure a timely and efficient recruitment process considering the fact the current Meghalaya Police recruitment was advertised since 2019.
It is to be noted that the recruitment was to start Physical test in the beginning of the year 2020, however with the outbreak of the Covid-19, the test was postponed and resumed late 2021. The recruitment process involves various stages, including physical tests, written tests which were completed last year and interviews which are yet to be conducted by the concerned Department Recruitment Board.
Taking into account of the nature of the job of the Police Department whereby the physical attribute is one of the important factors, there lies the issue of over-age of the aspiring candidates due to the delay in the recruitment process.
The delay in Meghalaya Police Recruitment has far-reaching consequences for the state’s security and safety. The shortage of police personnel has already been a concern, with the state having one of the lowest police-population ratios in the country. The delay in recruitment only exacerbates this problem, leaving the state vulnerable to security threats.
To address this issue, the state government needs to take urgent action to improve the recruitment process. This includes investing in infrastructure and resources, recruiting and training more personnel, and ensuring greater transparency in the selection process. The government should also work closely with the police department to identify the specific challenges and roadblocks in the recruitment process and develop a plan to address them.
It is to be noted that, the improvement in the transparency of recruitment process has also given hope for aspiring candidates. There have been allegations of favoritism and corruption in the selection process in the past, which further erodes the credibility of the recruitment process. However, this issue has not arisen since the 2016 recruitment as mechanisms have been put in place for greater transparency in the selection process, with clear criteria and guidelines for selecting candidates. In fact the Police recruitment is one the most transparent as compared to other departments of the State Government.
In conclusion, the delay in Meghalaya Police Recruitment is a serious issue that needs urgent attention. The state needs to invest in the necessary infrastructure and resources to conduct timely and efficient recruitment. It is also important to ensure greater transparency and accountability in the selection process to restore public trust in the recruitment process. Only by taking these steps can the state ensure the safety and security of its citizens.
Yours etc.,
H Nonglang,
Via email
Zero for UDP in Garo Hills!
Editor,
People are indeed at a loss to comprehend how not a single UDP contestant is returned from Garo Hills in the hustings this year. Had the UDP won a couple of constituencies here it could have wrought in a seismic change in the political ecosystem of our State. Either way, the raison d’etre leading to complete washout of UDP is not far to unfold. In my social interactions with some Garo friends I ‘ve queried about UDP’s failure to strike a chord with the electorate in their region. Their refrain has been somewhat intriguing when they say that Garos have a deep-rooted conviction that as far as party affiliation is concerned they are of the opinion that the UDP as a party is purely a Khasi-Jaintia grounded entity, hence they harbour a mortal fear that if UDP will attains majority their societal need-based interests shall be by and large compromised and they don’t want to be subservient to others, hence the UDP ending with egg on its face in Garo Hills! Additionally, lest we forget and if my memory serves me right, in the 2018 Meghalaya assembly elections too the UDP drew a blank in Garo Hills, notwithstanding the fact that UDP had electorally allied itself with the Garo National Council .
Mr Paul Lyngdoh, on the day of his being selected as cabinet minister, when asked by the journalists on his feelings on joining the NPP-led Government, aptly retorted that UDP had contested in 46 seats but only 11 candidates were elected so the voters are to be queried for this defeat of the remnant of UDP’s contestants. Arguably, however, it may be reminded that the Hynñewtrep community have voted in favour of the UDP in 11 constituencies and incidentally the UDP had won the largest number of seats among all the contesting parties in the 36 seats in Khasi-Jaintia Hills so Lyngdoh ought to place this question before the UDP leadership from Garo Hills for the no-holds barred failure! Conversely, NPP, a national party in outlook, but in essence, a Garo Hills based party has not been looked upon as an alien by the Khasi-Jaintia communities given the fact that the electorates have elected no less than 8 NPP candidates, with respectful margins at the last hustings!
Yours etc.,
Jerome K Diengdoh
Shillong-2,
Congress Party must revisit its vision
Editor,
Apropos of the special article “Analyzing the Congress and its revival process” by Patricia Mukhim, (ST March 10, 2023) it was a perfect analysis of the Congress Party. The biggest mistake with the Indian National Congress is to appoint stooges as PCC chiefs and not to have them elected by the party workers. There is no inner democracy in any political party in India least of all the Indian National Congress and yet we clamour for democracy. People are now wiser than the political parties and the writer has correctly mentioned that the “people see no future in Congress Party.” The Indian National Congress is now an obsolete force and is facing more than an existential crisis. Swaminathan S Anklesaria Aiyar in his article in the Times of India correctly stated, “The Congress needs to return to its proud historical roots. It must proclaim a return to the secularism of Gandhi, Nehru and other stalwarts”. This is more important at a time when a political party is emotionalizing people with religion which Karl Marx rightly opines is the “opium for the masses,” while Chanakya puts it the other way in his Arthashastra, “Those of average intelligence see God only in his srimurti, but those of a broad vision see him everywhere.”
Yours etc.,
V K Lyngdoh,
Via email