Editor,
In her write up in The Shillong Times, dated 15th Sep. 2023, Patricia Mukhim queried, ‘Are tribal students incapable of learning Mathematics and Science?’ This has struck the right note on why generally most of the students in the State opt for Arts stream in their educational journeys. The reason, as Mukhim has rightly pointed out, is the system of education in the State that has allowed students to treat mathematics as an optional paper, despite the universal fact that mathematics is the most important subject that sharpens the brain, allows students to be more analytical and troubleshoot problems amongst other benefits.
In light of the above observations, it would not be out of place to mention here that in the past, almost all the various category of posts in the Government of Meghalaya, recruited through MPSC (including the post of LDA to Secretariat Service) required the applicants to sit for a written exam that has English, General awareness & Aptitude Test and Arithmetic/ Mathematics as compulsory subjects. Applicants, including those of LDA to Secretariat Service levels had to pass in all these subjects before they are declared qualified to sit for the personal interview and ultimately to be recruited for the advertised posts. A case in point is the MPSC advertisements issued vide circular No. MPSC/ADVT-39/1/2018-19/21, dated 13.04.2018 and No. MPSC/ADVT-54/1/2020-21/45, dated 22.12.2021 respectively.
However, it may be noted here, that for the recently concluded exams (successful candidates have already been given appointment) and the currently advertised LDA exams to Secretariat Services advertised vide circular No. MPSC/ADVT-54/1/2023-24/127, dated 13.10.2023. (Para-9, 9.1) and Advt. No.08/2025, dated 8th May 2025 (Para-6, 6.3) respectively, the LDA candidates had/have been asked to appear in the exams for only the following subjects:
Screening Test consisting of the following subjects in MCQ pattern.
1). General English – 150 marks
2).General awareness and Aptitude – 150 marks
Mathematic/Arithmetic has been excluded
The issue of the non- inclusion of Arithmetic/Mathematics is that personnel recruited as LDA to the Secretariat Service, amongst other government departments, are employed in various technical departments like Finance, Planning, works departments viz PWD, PHE, Power, etc of the State Government, where the nature of work requires that personnel recruited to these departments and offices have to have some basic knowledge of Arithmetic/Mathematics. Besides this, all LDA personnel once recruited are liable to be posted/ transferred to any government department during the course of their service by way of transfer/promotion. This non-inclusion of mathematics/arithmetic is bound to affect efficiency.
In view of the above and as Patricia Mukhim has rightly pointed out, regarding the significance of Arithmetic/mathematics, for interest of ensuring efficient and better delivery of service by government servants, the State Government and MPSC are humbly requested to ensure that appropriate level of mathematics is objectively incorporated for various category of government posts advertised by the MPSC.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request,
Via email
A Path to Improve Performance Grading Index
Editor,
Meghalaya currently ranks at the bottom of the Performance Grading Index (PGI), a damning indicator of the deep-rooted challenges in its education system. While the state has recently emerged as one of the top 5 states in India in terms of literacy rate, this statistical achievement masks a harsher reality: a struggling government school system plagued by infrastructure gaps, teacher shortages, and most notably, a shocking neglect of libraries.
In 2021, our Chief Minister himself acknowledged the crisis in the state’s education sector. Despite a literate population, the lack of investment in core educational tools, especially school libraries, continues to drag down Meghalaya’s real educational outcomes.
The Crisis: Libraries in Ruin. At the heart of this educational failure lies the abandonment of libraries in government schools. Libraries are not simply buildings with books, they are centres of knowledge, imagination, and lifelong learning. Yet in Meghalaya, the absence of libraries is widespread, and in cases where they do exist, they are under-resourced, unstaffed, or inaccessible.
This isn’t just a planning issue; it’s a systemic and moral failure. Students, especially from marginalized and tribal communities, are being denied access to basic educational resources. In the absence of libraries, they rely solely on outdated textbooks and overburdened teachers, severely limiting their learning potential.
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Libraries as a Mandate. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, under Clauses 7.5, 21.6, and 21.9, emphasizes the development of school libraries as a strategic priority for improving education. It encourages:
· Setting up well-resourced libraries in every school.
· Promoting access to digital and print learning materials.
· Appointing trained library professionals.
While progressive states have begun acting on this, like Tripura, for example, recently announced the recruitment of 125 school librarians, Meghalaya has shown no comparable initiative.
High Literacy, Low Quality: A Paradox
It is ironic that despite being one of the top five states in literacy, Meghalaya’s students are not equipped with the basic tools for real learning. Literacy should not be confused with educational quality. The state’s consistently poor PGI performance reflects that students may know how to read and write, but lack access to environments that nurture comprehension, exploration, and critical thinking- functions that libraries uniquely provide.
Solutions to Improve PGI by Strengthening Libraries
a) Mandate Library Infrastructure in All Schools: Provide every government school with a dedicated, functional library, even if modest in size.
b) Recruit and Train School Librarians: Establish official posts for trained librarians, in partnership with LIS (Library and Information Science) institutions.
c) Upgrade to Digital Libraries: Use tools like e-Granthalaya, the National Digital Library of India, and curated offline e-resources to enable hybrid learning.
d) Library Integration in Curriculum: Include library hours in the school timetable and use library activities to support curriculum learning.
e) Allocate Budget and Monitor Progress: Provide a dedicated fund per school for library development and track library effectiveness as part of the PGI evaluation.
f) Public–Private Partnerships (PPP): Collaborate with NGOs, and publishers to donate books, equipment, and training support.
g) Awareness and Capacity Building: Conduct orientation for school heads and teachers on how to use libraries effectively for student engagement and enrichment.
The Road Ahead
Meghalaya has a literate population ready to learn, but without access to libraries, learning remains superficial and limited. The Performance Grading Index evaluates not just enrolment and basic metrics, but also the depth and quality of learning infrastructure. Strengthening libraries directly impacts indicators like:
· Infrastructure & Facilities
· Equity
· Learning Outcomes
· Governance Processes
To conclude, Meghalaya’s poor PGI ranking isn’t just an administrative concern; it’s a signal that thousands of young lives are being shortchanged. If the state truly believes in “education for all,” then libraries must be at the core of that mission. With a clear policy, targeted investment, and community participation, Meghalaya can turn its high literacy into high-quality education, enabling its children not only to read but to think, question, create, and lead.
It’s time to stop seeing libraries as a luxury and start treating them as the engine of educational transformation that they truly are.
Yours etc.,
Tiplut Wann,
Via email