Kohima, June 20 (MExN): The All Nagaland Hindi Students’ Union (ANHSU), on June 20, stated that it was aggrieved by what it termed as “arbitrary and malafide action” of the State Government, particularly the Department of School Education regarding a recent advertisement.
Among others, the advertisement dated March 16 invited applications from interested eligible candidates for 58 graduate teachers (Hindi), and the written examination for the same is scheduled on July 7.
According to the ANHSU, the eligibility criteria in the advertisement spelled out Graduate/Post Graduate (or equivalent) with at least 50% marks either in Graduation or in Post-Graduation with Hindi as an elective subject at the Bachelor’s Degree level from a recognised University and BEd, BA.Ed/B.Sc.Ed from any National Council of Teachers Education recognised institution.
“However, those of us who have equivalent qualification in Hindi as Hindi Graduates/ Hindi Post Graduates have been disallowed from appearing in the said exam,” the union alleged.
It further informed that most of the Hindi graduates were not allowed to submit forms and called it “an act of extreme discrimination, which is unreasonable and untenable in law” and depriving them to the “extent of not allowing us to sit for the exam.”
To buttress its claims, the ANHSU pointed out that there is no Parangat or B Ed equivalent course in Nagaland.
Accordingly, the ANHSU contended that the “demand upon the candidates of the course that in not available in the State of Nagaland is not only unreasonable, but arbitrary and malafide.”
It further wondered whether the concerned department has a “hidden ulterior motive to favor few privileged people or to welcome those from outside the state of Nagaland to deprive the children of the soil.”
In addition, the union also flayed the weightage given to those taking “Hindi as an elective subject in B.A in lieu of alternative English to make them eligible to apply for the present 58 posts” in the said advertisement.
“This is a mockery to those of us who have spent years of pursuing the courses,” it asserted, further comparing it to “giving preference to those who took Moral Science as their elective subject to be appointed as Pastors, instead of those who studied theology.”
Moreover, the union further pointed out that the Hindi course equivalent to Class 10 pass is Parichay, Class 12 - Kovid and Graduation-Ratna.
“When we have the equivalent qualifications, the demand for PU and BA in Non-Hindi course is highly unreasonable and devoid of common sense,” it argued.
In this connection, the ANHSU asserted that the department is misinterpreting its own advertisement and has deprived many Hindi graduates of the “fair opportunity to appear in the said exam” and called it a “clear violation of Articles 14&16 of the Constitution of India.”
The department is in full knowledge that the course D.El.Ed/Praveen which is equivalent to PSTE for primary teachers and there is only one such institution in Dimapur which is for in-service primary teachers, it said.
Besides that, there is no other Hindi institution in Nagaland that provides the course for Hindi B.Ed, it added.
Accordingly, a press issued by the ANHSU President, Thongminlal Thomsong and Vice President Ajomu (John) Yepthomi, urged the concerned department to take an administrative decision within 5 days to allow ‘deprived’ students to appear the exam.
Else, “we shall be left with no option, but to approach the Court of law to redress our grievances,” it cautioned.
