By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 16: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) Secretary Ashish M Sangma, demanding his immediate resignation. The union warned of “stringent measures” if the demand is not met.
The ultimatum came after a meeting on Tuesday between the KSU’s Employment Monitoring Cell (EMC), chaired by Reuben Najiar, and MPSC Chairman D. Langstang to discuss pending reforms in the commission.
During the discussions, the KSU raised concerns about alleged deep-rooted corruption in the MPSC and questioned Sangma’s continued tenure as Secretary.
Najiar claimed that Sangma was reportedly transferred to another department more than four months ago amid corruption allegations but still functions in his MPSC role. He argued that this highlights the commission’s misuse of its autonomous status to protect questionable practices.
The union warned that failure to fully implement the recommendations of a government-appointed reforms committee—and to disclose examination marks since the report’s release—would prompt intensified agitations in the new year to ensure transparency and fairness in state government recruitment.
The meeting follows the state government’s formation of the committee amid earlier KSU protests demanding greater transparency in MPSC operations.
The panel submitted its report on June 26, 2025, recommending measures such as public disclosure of candidates’ marks, release of answer keys, declaration of officials’ assets, and publication of the commission’s annual performance report.
However, the KSU expressed dissatisfaction, noting that the MPSC has not fully implemented these recommendations. The commission has cited its autonomy and the need for further review, with the Chairman requesting additional time due to the upcoming Christmas holidays.
The union also alleged irregularities in recent MPSC examinations, including inadequate monitoring at centres, candidates carrying mobile phones, insufficient invigilators, and absent MPSC observers. It further claimed administrative delays caused candidates to lose exam time and that, in some cases, all successful candidates came from a single hall, raising suspicions of malpractice.
Additionally, the KSU accused the MPSC of manipulating recruitment to favour certain individuals.
Referring to the recent typist recruitment exam, the union highlighted a shift from the traditional multiple-choice question (MCQ) format to a descriptive written test worth 50 marks. It alleged this change was intended to allow subjective scoring and manipulation, violating Department of Personnel and Training guidelines, and demanded immediate cancellation of the exam.
