Editor,
For many citizens of India, clearing the prestigious UPSC-CSE examination is a daring challenge that requires meticulous planning, immense discipline and time management. It’s a dream for many young people, and there are many aspirants from Meghalaya as well, but for many of us the common folks, it feels like trying to reach the stars—almost impossible especially given the current financial and educational situation in Meghalaya. The state is poor and its education system is in poor shape. For 13 years now the State could not produce a single native IAS officer from Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Communities. But somehow in the darkness, there’s a beacon of light, a hope for many young aspirants from our dear Meghalaya – the MATI-AIPETC Civil service examination coaching programme. It gives coaching, guidance and educational support along with accommodation which can help selected aspirants in studying in a proper educational environment along with access to libraries, computers and books in the center itself. This is indeed a very good initiative by the Government of Meghalaya along with the newly launched CM-INSPIRE scheme which can give financial support to candidates who have cleared their Prelims and Mains. This can help aspirants engage at every stage of the exam. I truly appreciate the Government of Meghalaya for such initiatives.
As we look forward to the upcoming UPSC CSE prelims Examination cycle on May 24, 2026 it is important to point out that the coaching program conducted by MATI at Mawdiangdiang, has faced an unfortunate delay in implementing these coaching programs for the Academic year 2025-26. The classes started on 27 October 2025, which is a huge delay as the examinations are slated for May 24 2026 and aspirants get barely 7 months to cover a huge and extensive syllabus ranging from Politics, History, Geography, Languages, CSAT, Optionals, Science and Technology etc. which is almost impossible to attend in such a short time period. Besides, one cannot rush through especially in technical subjects like Economics and Politics. One must have conceptual clarity and depth of the subject and attempting to pressurise aspirants in a 7- month window to cover all basics is not only a pedagogical challenge but also a disservice for our State’s brightest mind.
The cost of starting late is huge and our aspirants will face challenges like incomplete foundational courses, sacrificing Mains preparation (UPSC is a 3 stage examination and hence each stage requires equal attention), and mental fatigue from studying such an extensive syllabus in a short time.
Therefore, I urge the Government of Meghalaya and the Director of MATI to reconsider the admission timeline, and synchronise it with the official UPSC calendar. It is better to start the coaching as early as possible—by the month of June or latest by July or August but not as late as the previous year (October), because starting early will help our aspirants to cover a huge syllabus which can help in the making of the new batch of IAS officers from Meghalaya to contribute to the Indian bureaucracy, and I’m sure it will be a motivation to many among the younger generations to study so that Meghalaya will rise again into its former glory and become the Education Capital of India not just the Rock(Music) Capital of India.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request,
Via email
Rethinking the Status of Pnar
Editor,
The recent clarification by the Khasi Authors’ Society (KAS) on the status of the Pnar language calls for careful and historically grounded reflection.
As I have argued in “Pnar – A Language in Danger” in The Shillong Times, the evolution of what is now recognised as Standard Khasi was not an authentic representation of all related speech forms, but the result of a selective historical process. The Sohra dialect was adopted by missionaries as a working standard to aid codification and the translation of religious literature, including the Bible. While this contributed significantly to the growth of Khasi as a written language, it does not justify placing other linguistic traditions such as Pnar within a subordinate framework.
Historically, multiple speech forms existed across the region, none of which had been reduced to writing prior to missionary intervention. Standard Khasi therefore represents one trajectory among many but not the origin of all.
It is necessary to revisit the assumption that Pnar is merely a dialect of Khasi. While early scholars such as Grierson classified it as such, later research suggests otherwise. Linguists like Anne Daladier and Hiram Ring have demonstrated clear differences in phonetics, grammatical morphology, and typology. Importantly, there is low mutual intelligibility between Pnar and Standard Khasi which remain one of the strongest indicators that they function as distinct languages.
Lexico-statistical studies further show that Pnar, War, Standard Khasi, and Lyngngam belong to the Austro-Asiatic family. Yet shared ancestry does not imply uniformity. These languages likely developed in different geographical spaces before converging in present-day Meghalaya, retaining distinct linguistic identities.
The issue is not merely academic. It carries serious cultural and policy implications. While Khasi has benefitted from standardisation and institutional support, Pnar remains vulnerable. It lacks full standardisation, is not widely used in education, and faces the risk of marginalisation. UNESCO’s framework on endangered languages makes clear that such conditions heighten the risk to linguistic survival.
In this context, language policy must not contribute to erosion. The KAS must avoid equating the Jaintias with the Bhoi, Maram, or Lyngngam, as each has its own historical and distinct cultural lineage.
The Jaintia community has long worked to preserve its linguistic heritage. The formation of Ka Sein I Ktien Wei Thoh Jaintia in 1975 and efforts to develop a written script reflect this commitment, though much work remains unfinished and requires renewed support.
It is also important to recall that Articles 29 and 350A of the Constitution guarantee linguistic minorities the right to conserve their language and receive primary education in their mother tongue. The limited presence of Pnar in formal education highlights the gap between intent and implementation.
The recognition of Khasi as an official language is a milestone. However, progress must ensure that such recognition does not overshadow other identities. Khasi may serve as a link language, but this must be accompanied by equal commitment to the preservation and promotion of Jaintia.
As linguist Raven I. McDavid Jr. observed, true inclusion begins when dominant frameworks recognise all linguistic forms as legitimate expressions shaped by history and society.
The future of Meghalaya’s linguistic landscape depends on embracing this plurality- not reducing it.
Yours etc.,
Dr. Omarlin Kyndiah,
Via email
