Mesasol Sody
Lecturer (Retd.), Dimapur
The astounding number manned by the contract appointees in the higher education is indeed a worrisome affair in the state. 181 posts in the 16 government colleges, which has around 400 sanctioned posts is by any standard outstanding. It means that 40% of the teachers are manned by contract appointment. This is not to indicate that those who are appointed on contract may be unqualified, but because they are appointed through casual/walk-in interviews. We know what it means! Apart from this “illegal connections”, this practice is a violation of Article 16 of the India constitution. We all know that it is a Fundamental Right, which means Supreme Court can intervene directly. This Article provides for equality of opportunity in matters of public employment and appointment. It means whatever is the case of vacancies (casual, contingency, ad hoc etc) equal opportunity should be given to all the eligible citizens to be considered for the same which is not the case in the present case.
As a retired academician, I can only feel sorry for these colleges in particular and the people of the state in general. Clearly, there is a deep nexus of Chief Minister-Minister of Higher Education-Commissioner Secretary-Director in this mess of backward-door appointment. I remember, in 2004, during the time of Neiphiu Rio as CM and Shurhozelie as the Minister of Higher Education, 24 lecturers were regularised by creating a new posts overnight without open advertisement in spite of court’s ruling against their regularisation. There was not a single voice of opposition then. Of course then the popular consciousness against such blatant violation was not there. But can they (people in power) enact the same drama, now that the cabinet has approved 100 plus posts creation? Or will the backward-door appointees be conveniently adjusted in the existing retirement vacancies of more than 30 plus posts? We have heard of requisition of these posts to NPSC, but also there seems to be a high pressure for withdrawal of the same or some. By whom? Not difficult to guess! We expect the concern Minister walk-the-talk.
Should the teachers be blamed for the poor performance by the government colleges? Of course, unlike school education, colleges are doing much better producing toppers in the university, in spite of poor infrastructural facilities. Still it can do better. May be the good result here and there are because there are some teachers who are genuinely qualified, whom the government had not interfered in their appointments.
Can the government blame the teachers for bad results after they themselves appoint teachers through backdoor? NET is just a minimum qualification! There are thousands of other NET qualified candidates in the state who are highly eligible as well! Only through open recruitment can the best among the qualified can redeem the higher education in the state.
Of course temporary vacancies will arise in colleges as the UGC has made it mandatory for the teachers to acquire Ph.D degree for higher promotion up to principal. Can this be an excuse for backdoor appointment? By backdoor I mean those who are appointed on whatever ground and regularised later without openly advertising the post to the recruiting agencies. If study leave is the excuse for backdoor appointment, this is thoroughly misleading. This issue of temporary appointment can be easily managed. In fact UGC guidelines have provided for Guest Lecturers and similar arrangement. However the department seems inefficient in handling the situation and creating a mess. It is high time that department act efficiently and streamline this mess before the pressure burst into flame.
