From Our Correspondent
Tura, Jan 10: Contrary to the postal department’s advertisement for Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS), Assistant Branch Postmaster (ABPM), and Branch Postmaster (BPM) positions, which emphasized giving preference to candidates familiar with local languages, allegedly, an NGO very few locals have been recruited by the postal department, as brought to light by an NGO, from Phulbari.
The Rural Development and Anti-Corruption Organization (RDACO) has highlighted this in a complaint to the Chief Postmaster General, NE Circle, Meghalaya Division in Shillong on January 4.
In their complaint, RDACO highlighted that the postal department’s notification (Notification No. 17-31/2023-GDS, dated 20-05-2023) clearly stated that applicants must know of any of Meghalaya’s local languages (Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia) with a certificate from the Secondary level to meet the required qualification. The advertisement also indicated that applicants needed to reside within the delivery jurisdiction of the Post Office (HO/SO/BO) concerned. RDACO President, Zamiul Mondal, expressed astonishment that nearly 500 candidates had been appointed from outside the state, none of whom met the specified qualifications.
While the exact number of advertised posts was unclear, it is estimated that more than 500 vacancies were available.
Mondal emphasised that those appointed from outside the state lacked residency and had zero knowledge of the local language. He urged that due process was not followed, and deserving local candidates were overlooked, leading to the request for the entire recruitment process to be declared null and void.
A copy of the complaint has also been sent to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.
The inclusion of Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia languages for recruitment was initiated by the present government led by the NPP. According to postal department sources, while these local languages were added to the list of preferred languages in the state, English and Hindi were not removed.
This allowed individuals from the rest of India to gain employment in the state, despite Hindi and English not being widely spoken, and having no knowledge of the local language and culture.
Sources added that in states like Tripura, Manipur, and Mizoram, recruitment is done with preference given to local languages, facilitating local employment opportunities.