By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 8: Buckling under pressure from the Khasi Students’ Union, the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) on Thursday agreed to publish the marks of all the candidates who appeared for the Meghalaya Civil Service (Preliminary) examinations within 24 hours.
After meeting MPSC chairman PR Marwein at his chamber, KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar informed members of the union that the chairman also agreed to publish the incorrect and the corrected answer keys (Prelims) apart from the three wrong questions along with the correct answers within the stipulated time-frame.
Marngar said the notification issued on August 6 would be cancelled and the roll numbers of the candidates may not be changed till their interviews.
He said the union demanded that the interviews for Meghalaya Police Service posts should be according to the original advertisement of 2019 where the post-candidate ratio is 1:2.5 and not according to the new office memorandum that changed the ratio to 1:1.5.
Marngar said the chairman sought time to discuss the interview ratio with other members of the commission.
Earlier, the KSU decided to continue with its protest inside the premises of the MPSC office at Lower Lachumiere until the commission responded to the demand to display the marks obtained by the candidates in the preliminary examination. Members of the union also burnt the effigy of the MPSC, which it accused of nepotism and indulging in corruption.
The protestors were led by Marngar and the KSU’s general secretary, Donald V Thabah.
Noting that the MPSC has been prone to irregularities, Marngar said the KSU’s employment monitoring cell had submitted several memorandums to the commission and met its chairman for a recruitment process free of controversies.
“We wanted the recruitment process of the commission to be fair and transparent. But we feel that the MPSC is not willing to accept our suggestions,” Thabah said.
He, however, said that KSU does not have the evidence to prove the alleged corrupt practices in the MPSC even though many students across the state no longer have faith in its recruitment process.
“We know that there is favouritism and there are allegations people pay money to get jobs. If there is transparency, why should the commission be afraid?” Marngar asked, underscoring the need to overhaul the MPSC and improve its image.
Govt to seek report
from MPSC
The state government is likely to seek a report on the allegations of nepotism and lack of transparency in the recruitment process in the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) with regards to the MCS (Preliminary) examinations.
Cabinet Minister Paul Lyngdoh told reporters on Thursday that the government will first seek a report from the MPSC which will be placed before Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma who will then decide whether or not to place it before the Cabinet for discussion.
“Without any shade of doubt, we should not encourage nepotism at any level. I understand that the KSU has raised certain objections and certain queries about alleged instances of nepotism in MPSC,” Lyngdoh said.
Replying to a query, he said the government will first seek a report from the MPSC since it is an autonomous body.