By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 28: North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum on Monday sought clarification from the Education department regarding the recruitment process for Assistant Professors and Lecturers in government colleges across Meghalaya.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Education Secretary Swapnil Tembe, Nongrum expressed concern that the current recruitment procedure does not adhere to the guidelines laid out by the Meghalaya Education Recruitment Board (MERB), which recommends a candidate-to-post ratio of 1:2.5.
He pointed out that this ratio has not been followed in the ongoing recruitment drive.
“For instance, there are 27 vacant posts in the subject of Chemistry, but only 42 candidates have been shortlisted for interviews. As per the 1:2.5 ratio, at least 67 candidates should have been shortlisted,” Nongrum said.
He further noted that the vacancies include subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Biochemistry, and Commerce, and similar discrepancies in the candidate-to-post ratio are evident across all these disciplines.
“This shortfall in shortlisted candidates has denied many deserving individuals the opportunity to be considered for these posts,” he stated.
Emphasising the urgency of the matter, Nongrum pointed out that interviews for the vacant posts are scheduled to begin on August 4. He also revealed that he has received complaints from several candidates who have expressed dissatisfaction over what they perceive as a lack of transparency in the recruitment process.
Highlighting the importance of fairness and transparency, Nongrum suggested that the MERB adopt a policy similar to that of the Central Recruitment Board (CRB) of the Police Department, which publishes the marks of all candidates.
“If candidates can see their scores, they will have more confidence in the fairness of the process,” he said.
When asked about the response from the Education department, Nongrum said the Secretary has assured him that the concerns raised will be taken up with the Director of Higher and Technical Education.