An Open Letter to the Vice Chancellor, Manipur University

Sir,
This letter is to bring to the attention of the Vice Chancellor, Manipur University, regarding the appointment of a Guest Faculty on a contract basis in the Department of Economics, Manipur University. Last year, on 12th June, an advertisement came out for the appointment of a Guest Faculty on a contract basis through a walk-in interview in the Department of Economics (see Manipur University website).
In addition to the UGC criteria, the advertisement mentioned the specific areas of the subject, such as environmental economics and econometrics/mathematical economics. On the day of the interview, i.e., 24th June 2024, it was clarified that the post was advertised for a senior Professor of the department who was on a sabbatical leave for one year, and the specific papers mentioned in the advertisement were taught by the professor and the interview has been called to fill up his post while he was in leave. There were 6-7 candidates, most of whom were pursuing their PhD. When the result came out, it was known that an MA passed out student of the department was selected, who was also pursuing her PhD.
At that point in time, I thought the best candidate had been selected, as the Department of Economics at Manipur University is highly respected. Things got murkier and raised eyebrows to the outsider like me as her service was extended even after the senior professor had joined the department after his completion of sabbatical leave in February 2025. To accommodate her in the department after the senior professor joined the department, she was allotted highly specialised papers, East and South East Asian Development, a specialised paper of Development Economics optional, and Applied Econometrics, a specialized paper of Econometrics optional (see Time Table for 4th Semester 2025, Department Notice Board). These papers have their respective professors who are trained for a long time to teach these specialized papers. Giving two different and highly specialized papers to her is a clear-cut favouritism and extra rope given to the guest faculty.
A mediocre guest faculty with no credentials or research papers to her name has been assigned two separate and specialised papers for the sake of accommodating and giving space to the department sends a strong message to the outsider like me about how the department is compromising its legacy of a reputed department of the university that have been shaping the course of the development of the state. This is all happening when the interview of the regular faculty is due. Extending undue preference to the guest faculty gives her an extra edge in regular appointments, which has become normal for the university. Like any other outside candidate, I will not be surprised when the department favours her in the regular appointment. It seems the department has ganged up to not open up the department to any outsider for the sake of their mediocre students.
In this regard, I earnestly request the university’s Vice Chancellor to take note of the department’s pathetic state of affairs. I also hope that in the near future, the Vice Chancellor will revamp the recruitment process of guest faculty, which seems to be driven by the personal interest of the respective HoD, by bringing transparency to the process. The Vice Chancellor should neutralise all the apprehensions and doubts in the minds of outsider candidates and ensure that the best minds will be encouraged irrespective of their affiliations.
Thanking you
Yours
Kh Dhane Singh,
New Delhi, [email protected]