The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), employment monitoring cell has objected to the recruitment and enrolment process under the Meghalaya District Research Fellowship (MDRF) adopted by the State government by posting it on LinkedIn, a business and employment-focused social media platform.
The Bharti Institute of Public Policy in collaboration with Planning, Investment, Promotion, and Sustainable Development Department (PIPSDD) had posted an advertisement for 28 posts, which includes 24 of District Research Fellows, two Data Scientists/Senior Researchers and one post each for Senior District Research Fellow and Project Coordinator on the social media platform.
The KSU said such a method is not fair and transparent as LinkedIn is not an official website of the State government to advertise for any employment opportunities. “Any employment opportunities must be out in public domain through the official websites and local newspapers,” the union said.
Although, in the instant case the Indian School of Business (ISB) posted for the recruitment, the KSU said the government has failed to publish any information in its official websites. “This makes the recruitment process secretive and private, hampering and limiting the opportunities of the indigenous tribals of the State and raises concerns of nepotism being involved,” the union added.
Stating that the mode of selection, qualification is totally ambiguous, which makes all this recruitment process a sham, the KSU said without any proper criteria and procedures the recruitment process is not going to be fair and transparent.
Further, the union said that the ISB, in their initial post on LinkedIn, listed that 50 per cent of the vacancies will be filled by non-domiciles of Meghalaya, but this was later removed.
“The union strongly opposes to such kinds of outlook by such agencies whereby they bring non-domiciles of Meghalaya to work in the State seizing the opportunities of the indigenous tribals,” the KSU said.
It demanded that the advertisement must feature in the public domain and that all the 28 posts must be for the indigenous tribal of Meghalaya. “Any deviation from the said demand will be met by stern opposition,” it warned.
While the people appointed in the said posts will work and support the District Magistrate & Collectors in implementation of various development schemes and addressing issues at the district level, the KSU said it is ironic that the government does not believe in the capabilities of the district heads and depend on such agencies to instruct them on their work and performances.
“Such kinds of consultancy agencies have flooded the Secretariat and offices all over the State. Their role and performances are highly sceptical in regards to their efforts in the progress of the State. In short, it appears that most of the people from the State who work with such agencies are either related or have recommendations from politicians and other people holding official positions in the State,” the union stated.
The KSU further urged the government that such research, projects, data analysis and collections etc., must be handed over to North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) and other universities in the State tapping into the human resources and give opportunities to the indigenous tribals who are well versed with the issues of the State, instead of some foreign and alien agencies.
