Morung Express News
Kohima | September 13
Following the advertisement notified for recruitment under the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB), the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has strongly objected the 12.5% allocation for viva-voce components in all categories.
While appreciating the efforts of the government of the day for making NSSB a reality, the student body maintained that ‘there shouldn’t be any room for loopholes in the process of examination.’
Stating that the student community has fought for constitution of NSSB with the sole purpose to ensure ‘meritocracy, fairness and transparency’ in the process of examination, NSF president, Kegwayhun Tep said this has been long overdue for the student community, particularly the aspirants.
Scrap interview system or minimise the marks
Addressing media persons this morning at the NSF office, Tep however, expressed apprehension over the outcome of the 12.5% allotted for viva-voce components for all categories, stating that it “is going to create a room for manipulation in the process of examination.”
“As we represent the aspirations and voices of the student community,” Tep informed that the Federation has written an objection letter to the Chief Secretary to ‘either scrap interview system or minimise’ the marks allotted for viva voce.
In the letter addressed to the CS dated September 10, the NSF voiced its objection and stated that ‘giving such high importance to viva-voce only open up avenues for authorities concerned to indulge in malpractices during the recruitment process, thereby defeating the very purpose for which NSSB has been set up.’
Tep said, the 12.5% marks allotted for viva-voce comes to about 50–75 marks for some categories. “Though we are not undermining the credibility of the members, this has create a room for manipulation,” he explained.
While putting forth its demand to ‘either scrap the interview of minimise the marks’, the Federation however, maintained that this demand for structural change in the examination, should in no way delay or defer the process of examination.
Right person for right job
Assuming that the NSSB is the right board to bring transparency in the system of governance, Tep reminded the Board that, ‘there should be the right person for right job.’
Validating his point, he underscored that despite the excess number of appointments in the government sectors; there is little or no work efficiency at all.
“Why transparency in the system of governance? Because we need the right people for the right job and we need work efficiency in any system of governance at any level,” maintained Tep, while placing confidence on the NSSB process of examination to recruit the right person for the right job.
Discrepancies in vacancies and posts advertised
The NSF alleged that there were discrepancies in the number of available vacancies in the departments, and the number of posts advertised by NSSB.
To this, Tep said prior to the advertisement NSF had filed RTIs in 64 departments, and out of the response received from over 40 departments, the vacancies available projected in the RTI responses and the vacancies sent to the board did not tally.
“We have seen disparity in almost all the departments and for which, we demand that all departments cooperate for the interest of the students’ community, and send all available vacancies which comes under the purview of NSSB,” the NSF president said.
He also claimed that despite repeated notifications from the government, some major departments are yet to send the vacancies to the board till today. Hence, he demanded that all concerned departments to immediately send the requisite vacancies to the board so that examinations can be conducted in the first phase, as the entire student community has been anticipating for so long.
Meanwhile, on being asked on the circulation of ‘backdoor appointment lists’, Tep said NSF is pursuing the matter and have discussed with the concerned authority, and have also written to the state government.
However, he said that NSF as a matured student body cannot intervene without any evidence or proof, and informed that it is pursuing the matter.
