By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 14: Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma on Thursday made it clear that school managing committees (SMCs) must follow the rules and criteria laid down by the government for recruitment of teachers.
There have been allegations of manipulation and monopoly by the SMCs during recruitment of teachers. It is alleged that some “powerful people” in schools bend rules in order to pave way for the appointment of their own candidates by completely bypassing the aspect of merit.
A few of the disgruntled candidates do approach the judiciary from time to time for justice, but most of the aspiring teachers do not approach any authority to avoid any confrontation.
Asked about the non transparent recruitment by some SMCs, the minister said these committees have to adhere to the due process and criteria laid down by the government.
“It is their duty and responsibility to follow the laid down recruitment process,” he said, while asking the SMCs to go by merit and not greed in appointing family or friends.
A number of candidates, seeking anonymity, have claimed to have gone through such experiences and said that there are times when overaged and ineligible candidates get jobs in the name of in-service candidate through manipulation. They also claim that some SMCs bend the law to pave way for their chosen candidates to be appointed.
Others have alleged that recently a recruitment drive was held in a particular school but the advertisement for the posts was not published in any newspaper. They maintain that the government must take measures to ensure a transparent recruitment system in schools to ensure that students get teachers who are selected on their merit and not due to manipulation.
There are also allegations that on some occasions question papers for recruitment tests are provided to some candidates well in advance to ensure that the preferred candidates get the job without any hurdle.
It is also alleged that sometimes, the criteria and eligibility for teachers’ posts are modified to suit some candidates. “Sometimes, specialization in concerned subjects becomes the eligibility criteria while at other times, a graduate with B.Ed is all that is sought for as the qualification,” the candidates claimed.