Pauliansaun Touthang,
New Delhi
A year has passed since the Judgement of 18th October 2019 by the Hon’ble High Court of Manipur quashing the MCSCC Exam 2016. Looking back it appears that MPSC is least affected by the judgement that should have ideally brought about a thorough cleansing of the recruitment agency in the state. Sadly MPSC seems to have simply proceeded with its usual nonchalance, least bothered about the massive destruction of youth and wealth of the state. Thus it is time to have a short recap.
The judgement of 18th October 2019 pointed out various lapses and irregularities in the conduct of MPSC, the rules of MPSC was termed as ‘half baked’, and a CBI investigation was ordered into the conduct of MCSCCE 2016 so that all those who are guilty is brought to book. However what has happened since? MPSC is yet to notify rules and regulations that meets the required standards, MPSC has not taken any proactive action to gain public confidence, nor has it shown any conscience by taking responsibility for ruining the lives of the very candidates it has selected through its faulty system, and so far no one, be it officials, candidates or any other person has been penalised for the MCSCCE 2016 fiasco. Despite all this MPSC has boldly come out with notification to conduct the 2016 main examination afresh. The daring however extends much further, when various organisation voiced concern over the said notification raising pertinent matters of rules of examination and the need for CBI investigation to be completed unhindered, instead of clarifying the matters raised the MPSC in its press release date 26th August 2020 simply brushed aside the concerns raised simply as “misunderstanding of a very few”. The press release besides belittling the concerns expressed did nothing to clarify the doubts raised by the various student bodies. One can only wonder if MPSC is even aware that 82 former gazetted officers of the state are now living a life of endless trauma and stigmatization because MPSC failed to perform its duty. If the various student bodies of the state constitute ‘a very few’ to the MPSC, than surely theselected 82 would be just an infinitesimal and negligible number to the MPSC. It is also be noted that the selected candidates themselves havealso urged for the CBI investigation to be completed first, and opposed re-conduct of the examination before proper rules and regulations are put in place.
MPSC is not an ordinary body but a constitutionally mandated commission. It should have been a model organ of the state. However in Manipur, it is sadly an irresponsible body that continues to wreck countless lives. In 2019 itself, the MCSCCE 2019 was postponed and kept in a limbo after some aspirant filed case citing that MPSC has not complied with directions of the Hon’ble High Court. Yet MPSC is least bothered about the suffering it cause to the youth of the state in particular and the Society in general. In monetary terms MPSC has caused immense damage, many students preparing for the exam takes coaching, in competitive examinations, the knowledge and information needed to compete is not constant, it loses currency and relevance with passage of time but MPSC appears to be oblivious of the nature and demands of competition in modern times. The state has also suffered mammoth loss of treasury in training and salary of the 82 selected candidates of MCSCCE 2016. Who is paying for the misdeeds of MPSC? Who is suffering for the Misdeeds of MPSC? none other than the youth and the state.
Therefore if MPSC is to start conducting exams again it is paramount that it is made accountable and acts responsibly. MPSC should actively cooperate with the CBI investigation so that the whole truth is uncovered, any erring staff are penalized. It should even act on its own to determine how it was operating with half baked rules, who made those rules? Surely some people would be held accountable there, because those rules would not have made itself, it would have been drafted by some people under a chairman and a secretary. MPSC needs to ensure that it complies with all directions of the Hon’ble High Court and that its rules and regulations meets the requisite standard.
