By Melarbor Lyngdoh Thabah
Adhoc is derived from a Latin phrase which means “for this”. Adhoc means done or created for a particular purpose as necessary. Adhoc 2(f), 3(f) and Normal Adhoc also refers to a specific type of temporary appointment made under a particular regulation under the Limitation of Functions Regulations. These appointments are made to fill positions on a “Temporary Basis “due to exigency staffing needs of post(s) left vacant due to the death or retirement of regular staff (s). These posts are filled by temporary staff(s) to meet the exigencies up to the time that the post(s) are advertised. We have to know the fact that these Adhoc posts are NOT regular-permanent posts but exist for a limited period of time and such posts are not designed to become permanent. Hence, the appointment to these posts is Non-Permanent in nature because they do NOT follow the normal rigorous advertisement and examination selection process. Appointment to these posts is NOT a guarantee of regularization. It is important to note that that the letter “f” in 2(f) or 3(f) signifies that the appointment falls under the specific clause within the Limit of Regulation or signifies the “failure” of the departments to advertise the posts when it has been left vacant or is filled temporarily by the Ad hoc staff.
In Meghalaya, most times these posts which are filled by the Adhoc staff are never advertised by following the normal recruitment process. These posts though filled up for a specified period since the recruitment process in Meghalaya takes years; usually become Permanent Posts for those Normal Adhocs who had completed the normal ten years of continuous service in those posts. Normal Adhocs are different from 2(f) and 3(f) Adhocs who need to renew their Adhoc posts every two months for 2(f) and three months for 3(f) respectively. None the less, the permanent posts occupied by these 2(f) and 3(f) are usually never advertised. The pertinent question therefore is – where is the ETHICS when people who do not compete through fair means get a FREE LUNCH because of supposed alleged connections to influential people or whichever the case may be for which they get to occupy for years, decades or even permanently to these vacant sanctioned posts? The posts occupied by Adhocs are severely and utterly deprived of the normal competitive recruitment process which we earn through sweat, toil and tears
It is worth mentioning that Adhocs receive the same salary and all associated benefits of TA and DA whichever applicable as the permanent state government employees do, who, by the way, got their jobs after passing hard fought extremely tough competitive examinations. Where are the ethics, equity and fairness through a competitive examination in a democratic nation? The government has regularized the appointment of 3,635 Adhoc Group C & D staff through a Personnel B Notification on 12.12.2022 and another 850 Adhoc staff through a Personnel B Notification on 10.01.2025 both belonging to the pre December 31st 2007 group thus bringing the total number Regularized Adhocs to 4,485. Will this regularization stop and will the right thing be done is the important question.
The Personnel (B) Department will have to decide on the following points:
(i). The Personnel (B) Department has to decide as to whether the Normal Adhoc staff who had been working since January 1, 2008 till date on these Vacant Sanctioned Posts that they occupy and for which the posts have not been advertised by the respective Departments. In such a scenario should these Adhoc staff be Regularized or should these “Occupied” Vacant Sanctioned Posts be Advertised Through Competitive Examinations for the hordes by CONVERSION of those Adhoc staff occupying these posts as either Unskilled, Semi-Skilled, Skilled and Highly Skilled workers under the Labour Department depending on the numbers of years that they had served as Adhoc in all the various state government establishments and instruments.
(ii). The government must also decide if they are to Regularize the Adhocs who had joined from January 1, 2008 till March 31, 2010 – whether or not these staff will get Pension Benefits.
(iii). The government will have to decide on whether the posts occupied by 2(f) and 3(f) Adhocs “with break of service” be Advertised or Regularized and that these staff be CONVERTED as either Unskilled, Semi-Skilled, Skilled and Highly Skilled workers under the Labour Department depending on the numbers of years that they had served as Adhoc in all the various state government establishments and instruments.
(iv). The government will also have to decide on whether or not the Regularized {Normal, 2(f), 3(f)} Ad hoc staff will be eligible for Promotion or Not just like the permanent staff who came in “by the right way”.
(v). The government will also have to decide on whether or not to regularize Ad-hocs who have completed five years of service or less than ten years of service.
When it comes to Regularization, it is also important to note that Group B and Group A posts be they teachers, lecturers or office workers are officer level posts, usually advertised by the MPSC or Recruitment Boards and they cannot be regularized as Ad-hocs since these posts are specialized officer posts and have to follow the accepted norm of advertisement and examination process. In this regard, one has to highly commend the 12.12.2022 Personnel (B) Notification for regularizing only Group D and Group C posts occupied by Adhocs.
In a state which is not industrialized, which does not have MNCs, which does not have SEZs, where vacant sanctioned government jobs are saturated to the brim, where educated unemployed youth are depressed and feel hopeless with no advanced industrial skilling, a certain section of which became addicted to substance abuse and have become a menace to society; is it not worth advertising these posts occupied by the Adhoc staffs? This is the dilemma that the Personnel B department has to grapple with and find a permanent solution to.
Ethics, Equity and Fairness when clubbed as one constitute the “Fundamental” ethos of any democratic nation which cannot be broken unlike in an authoritarian nation. Based on this premise, it is up to the Government whether it will completely abrogate all existing Adhoc posts by an Amendment through a Notification in the Official Gazette or a Statute.
The Cabinet had said, “Don’t just criticize but suggest and be constructive”. Thus, my humble suggestion to submit is this: Current vacant sanctioned posts which are deemed very important and need to be filled up immediately should be filled up as Contract Basis posts and paid as such with yearly increments but no longer as Adhoc posts which can be achieved by converting all Adhoc posts to Contractual posts to be filled up by removing all Adhocs from the existing rules and regulations through amendments. These vacant sanctioned posts which are of importance and filled up temporarily as Contractual posts must be advertised within a span of 6 months to a maximum of 8 months which has to go along with the Amendment. The economic benefit of this is that this “saves money for the government” for which it can spend on advanced industrial production skill training for the youth instead of payment on a pay scale with all the benefits and perks. More importantly, it promotes justice when these posts are advertised for the unemployed youth.