Shillong, Aug 26: The Meghalaya government has suggested installation of CCTV cameras and recording of all interviews conducted by the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC).
This was in addition to the reforms of the MPSC, which were approved by the cabinet on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma told reporters that the cabinet reviewed the report of the MPSC reforms committee, which recommended long-term, medium-term and short-term initiatives to ensure necessary reforms for a more transparent and efficient recruitment.
The short-term measures focus on fixing gaps in the system and speeding up recruitment. Some of the immediate steps include forming multiple interview boards, setting clear interview guidelines, and ensuring board members step aside if their relatives are among the candidates.
The report also recommends that the chairman and members of the commission declare their assets and liabilities. It suggests publishing an annual calendar of activities, releasing annual reports, and setting up a grievance cell. To increase transparency, it calls for keeping the same roll number for candidates throughout the process and making personal interview marks and final scores public.
For exam integrity, the report highlights strict rules to prevent leaks of question papers and bans any changes to the recruitment process once it begins. Other measures include publishing the ratio of candidates to vacancies, releasing answer keys with a set time for challenges, and tackling corruption under the Meghalaya Lokayukta Act, 2014.
Sangma said these reforms are important to rebuild public trust in the recruitment system. While the cabinet has noted the immediate measures, the Chief Minister added that the medium- and long-term recommendations will also be studied and implemented in phases.
The medium- term and long-term suggestions include, shift to computer-based tests, strengthen MPSC cells in Jowai and Tura, combine exams with similar qualifications and scales to avoid repetition and delays, discontinue the use of optional papers, as done in the MPS and MCS exams, and extend it to others.
