Shillong, Oct 8: The Meghalaya unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today urged the state government to allow final-year undergraduates to appear for the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) competitive examinations for Meghalaya Civil Services (MCS) and Meghalaya Police Services (MPS).
Addressing the media, BJP Meghalaya spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang, along with BJP youth wing officials Mewaker Lyngdoh and Daniel Khonglah, said the demand was aimed at ensuring greater opportunities for the state’s youth.
Kharkrang explained that under current rules, only graduates are permitted to sit for the MPSC examinations, which are advertised once in about five years. This, he said, puts final-year students at a disadvantage as they lose the chance to apply, even if they are just months away from completing their degrees.
“In UPSC exams, final-year students are allowed to apply, provided they submit their degree completion certificates before appearing for the mains. We feel that if MPSC adopts the same system, it will open many more opportunities for our youth,” Kharkrang said.
The BJP team submitted a petition to the Chief Minister’s office on Tuesday, requesting the government to consider the change, especially at a time when restructuring of the MPSC is being discussed.
Kharkrang further stressed that such a step would not only allow students to gain valuable exam experience but also give genuine aspirants a fair chance to qualify. “If someone is debarred now, they may lose five years before the next exam. That is unfair to many youths who are just months away from graduating,” he added.
At the same time, Kharkrang lauded the state government’s recent decision to abolish interviews for Grade 4 posts, calling it a welcome move towards transparency in recruitment. “We appreciate the government’s notification on doing away with interviews for Grade 4 positions, and we hope all departments strictly follow it,” he said.
