SHILLONG, Feb 19: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has formally appealed to the Director General of Police, Iadashisha Nongrang, to reconsider an office memorandum issued on December 1, 2023, advocating for all candidates who have passed the Physical Efficiency Test (PET) for recruitment under different posts in the state police force to be allowed to take the written examination, rather than limiting participation to a fixed ratio of 20 candidates per available vacancy.
During a meeting, chairman of the KSU Employment Cell, Rueben Najiar, presented a letter to Nongrang outlining the union’s concerns. “We respectfully request that you review the Office Memorandum of the Home (Police) Department, Government of Meghalaya, dated December 1, 2023 (Ref. No. HPL.231/2023/60),” Najiar stated.
He explained that Paragraph 18.1 of the memorandum mandates that the number of candidates shortlisted for the written exam must be 20 times the total vacancies allocated to each candidate category, as per the state’s reservation policy.
Najiar argued that this predetermined ratio could result in a system where quota fulfillment takes precedence over merit. “The current approach might inadvertently sideline highly qualified candidates in favour of merely meeting the numerical requirement. While we acknowledge that the PET is a crucial initial screening tool, it should not be the sole criterion for advancing to the written examination,” he said. Highlighting the distribution of marks, Najiar pointed out that for positions such as the UB Constable, the PET carries 100 marks, whereas the written test carries 300.
“This structure implies that a candidate who barely clears the PET can still qualify for an interview if they perform well in the written exam. Therefore, limiting opportunities based solely on a fixed PET ratio appears counter-intuitive to a fair selection process,” he added.
The union also noted that an advertisement issued on March 6, 2024, announced 2,968 vacancies across various categories and that the PET had already been conducted by the relevant authorities.
Given the state’s high unemployment rate, Najiar emphasised that excluding PET-qualified candidates from the written examination is both discouraging and inequitable for many young aspirants seeking meaningful employment.
The KSU has urged police leadership to ensure that every candidate who clears the PET is given a fair chance to compete in the written examination, thereby fostering a more comprehensive and merit-based recruitment process.
