By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 23: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the recruitment process for policymakers under the Meghalaya District Research Fellowship (MDRF), alleging lack of fairness and transparency.
In a letter addressed to Principal Secretary Sampath Kumar, KSU Employment Monitoring Cell (EMC) chairman Reuben Najiar criticised the use of LinkedIn for advertising 28 positions, including 24 District Research Fellows, two Data Scientists/Senior Researchers, and one Senior District Research Fellow and Project Coordinator.
Najiar stated that LinkedIn is not an official platform for the Government of Meghalaya to post employment opportunities, arguing that these should be advertised on government websites and in local newspapers to ensure transparency.
He alleged that by failing to publish this information through official channels, the government was limiting opportunities for indigenous tribal candidates, raising concerns of nepotism.
“Any employment opportunities must be out in public domain through the official websites and local newspapers. Although in the instant case it’s the ISB who posted for such recruitment on LinkedIn. But the Government has failed to publish any information in this regard on their official websites, making the recruitment process secretive and private, hampering and limiting the opportunities of the indigenous tribals of the State and raising concerns of nepotism being involved,” Najiar said.
Najiar also cast aspersions on the ambiguity surrounding the selection criteria and qualifications for the posts, calling the recruitment process a “sham”.
“Without any proper criteria and procedures put in place, we fail to see how the recruitment process is going to be fair and transparent,” he said.
Najiar also alleged that the Indian School of Business (ISB), in its initial post on LinkedIn, stated that 50 per cent of the vacancies will be filled by non-domiciles of Meghalaya, which, he continued, it was later removed. He said the KSU opposes hiring non-domiciles, believing it would deprive indigenous tribal residents of job opportunities.
According to Najiar, the ISB stated in its LinkedIn that the people appointed in the said posts will work and support the bureaucrats in implementation of various development schemes and addressing issues at the district level.
“It’s an irony that the state government does not believe in the capabilities of the district magistrates and collectors of the state even after passing equivalent examinations through MPSC/UPSC, etc., that they will be able to implement various development schemes, address various issues on their own, that they would need help from such agencies to instruct them on their work and performances,” the KSU EMC chairman said.
Expressing skepticism about the growing presence of consultancy agencies in the state, suggesting that their roles often benefit those with political connections, Najiar urged the government to hand over research and data analysis projects to local institutions like North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), which, he believes, are better equipped to understand local issues.
“In short, it appears that most of the people from the state who work with such agencies are either related or have recommendations from politicians and other people holding official positions in the state. In fact, it can be said that such agencies are made to absorb such people to work for the government,” Najiar said.
“If the government is of the opinion of going forward with the ISB in collaboration with the MDRF, then the Union demands that such posts to be advertised in public domain, giving opportunities to all the domiciles of the Meghalaya to be able to apply, having proper recruitment process/criteria/selection through written examination,” he maintained, warning that any failure to meet the demand for transparent recruitment and opportunities for indigenous tribal residents would result in stern opposition.