By C Doungel
These days completion of examination and harvesting etc are considered great events. The last Manipur Civil Services examination was completed and results announced at least without any litigation on specific cases of marks tempering or outright manipulations. This happen-ed in the previous exam and the then Chairman though not personally involved, resigned on moral ground which is a rare case in Manipur. As people in Manipur are wont to do, slanderous gossips and presumptuous allegations about “Ceasar’s wife not being above suspicion” were widely heard. Even some responsible people went to the extent of representing to the head of the State to take corrective measures. The main reason for doing so is that many learned persons who obtained high marks in the written could not come out successful because they got relatively low marks in the interview while some lucky ones who made it were said to be there by virtue of their unduly high scoring in the interview. The allegation is that these happened on account of corrupt practices.
No doubt, MPSC is a constitutional institution and the Chairperson and members are supposed to be persons of eminence and high integrity. They work under a system which however may not be full proof. Further, to err is human and some errors are bound to be there despite all cares being taken. The allegation however go beyond these and squarely blame that there had been deliberate cases of favouring some candidates to place them in the select list. This also cannot be entirely ruled out given the standard of integrity and general attitude towards corruption in our State. It would be relevant to first examine some of the qualities MPSC would look for in a candidate during interview. The first thing would be whether the candidate has a positive attitude. Then, is he/she capable of taking decisions and how does he/she react in a given situation? What is the level of his/her self confidence and can he/she keep proper mental balance during crisis. All along, a candidate’s ability to apply his/her common sense to problems is considered very important. Thus, interview is different from mere test of knowledge. Whatever the case may be, the moot point is whether the Board exercised their assessment objectively and justly.
On the other hand, assuming that a probe is to be done, how do we proceed? The primary requirement will be to establish a prima-facie malafide case. It is to be seen whether there are corroborative evidences to establish foul play beyond the mere fact that some candidates who got more marks in written got less marks in interview. So, far this indication has not come to light. If not, it will be a case of going ahead on the basis of presumptuous conclusion arrived at through hair splitting. It should be taken into account that an accepted judicial tradition is to ignore a feeling at the back of the mind to agree to a contention if there is no evidence and to decide in favour by giving the benefit of doubt rather than upholding without proper basis. In this context, I recall a ruling given by Shree AA Ayangar one of the most illustrious of our country’s Speaker. It goes something like this. After observing that he cannot say that his decisions will always be correct and he does not also claim to be infallible, he gave the ruling that “but when I give my judgement, it has to be accepted because my word is final”. Here also the last say belongs to the MPSC. Nevertheless, there is always room for improvement. We have to strive for improving the system as well as continue to search for persons with impeccable integrity.
Behaviour code for NE
Tips for appropriate behaviour of NE people in general and students in particular issued by a Delhi Police officer had stirred up the hornet nest. It had generated widespread anger and invited condemnations and protests through many fora.
Even very decent and respectable persons in high circles express how much their sentiments are hurt with which I also agree. True, the condescending attitude of the officer and the manner of prescribing “dos and don’ts” like the Warden of a hostel to students in a boarding school, should no doubt make most people angry. However, even if reality bites, I all the same, maintain that we are too open and unrestrained most of the time.
Small percentage of people from North-east who can afford to live in affluent localities will not be affected. It would be mostly the students community and those others eking out their living, and staying there as temporary sojourners. They will be living near Universities or institutions and in middle class localities. People in these places would be the most conservative ones who would raise eyebrows on behaviours not conforming to their standards. As living spaces in these areas also are bound to be more crowded, what is going on or cooked in the next room/flat will always be known. Well, our food is exotic in taste and smell. I will not like to change at all though. But to an uninitiated stranger, it can conjure up so many things. Similarly our society is free and open but in a place where we are not dominant, the same can lure anti-socials who can take advantage.
The officer is no doubt sincerely concerned about the well-being and safety of North-east people but his good intentions had been misdirected. People of North-east have mongolian features and the nature of their social upbringing is different. They therefore do have problems of adjustments in a different environment. The climate is also very hot as compared to the temperate climate in which we live. The officer ought to have been more tactful. If he had taken the student leaders and some MPs of the region into confidence and interacted with them first, people would have welcomed his advice and counsel.
In conclusion, I would like to recall what Ruskin Bond has said which goes something like this “We are Indians not by race. Religion has not made us Indians either. It is History and Geography which has made us Indians.” Though different from mainstream people, we are Indians as aforesaid and because of secularism. India is our country. We have to stand up for our rights and also perform our duties.
Source: The Sangai Express
These days completion of examination and harvesting etc are considered great events. The last Manipur Civil Services examination was completed and results announced at least without any litigation on specific cases of marks tempering or outright manipulations. This happen-ed in the previous exam and the then Chairman though not personally involved, resigned on moral ground which is a rare case in Manipur. As people in Manipur are wont to do, slanderous gossips and presumptuous allegations about “Ceasar’s wife not being above suspicion” were widely heard. Even some responsible people went to the extent of representing to the head of the State to take corrective measures. The main reason for doing so is that many learned persons who obtained high marks in the written could not come out successful because they got relatively low marks in the interview while some lucky ones who made it were said to be there by virtue of their unduly high scoring in the interview. The allegation is that these happened on account of corrupt practices.
No doubt, MPSC is a constitutional institution and the Chairperson and members are supposed to be persons of eminence and high integrity. They work under a system which however may not be full proof. Further, to err is human and some errors are bound to be there despite all cares being taken. The allegation however go beyond these and squarely blame that there had been deliberate cases of favouring some candidates to place them in the select list. This also cannot be entirely ruled out given the standard of integrity and general attitude towards corruption in our State. It would be relevant to first examine some of the qualities MPSC would look for in a candidate during interview. The first thing would be whether the candidate has a positive attitude. Then, is he/she capable of taking decisions and how does he/she react in a given situation? What is the level of his/her self confidence and can he/she keep proper mental balance during crisis. All along, a candidate’s ability to apply his/her common sense to problems is considered very important. Thus, interview is different from mere test of knowledge. Whatever the case may be, the moot point is whether the Board exercised their assessment objectively and justly.
On the other hand, assuming that a probe is to be done, how do we proceed? The primary requirement will be to establish a prima-facie malafide case. It is to be seen whether there are corroborative evidences to establish foul play beyond the mere fact that some candidates who got more marks in written got less marks in interview. So, far this indication has not come to light. If not, it will be a case of going ahead on the basis of presumptuous conclusion arrived at through hair splitting. It should be taken into account that an accepted judicial tradition is to ignore a feeling at the back of the mind to agree to a contention if there is no evidence and to decide in favour by giving the benefit of doubt rather than upholding without proper basis. In this context, I recall a ruling given by Shree AA Ayangar one of the most illustrious of our country’s Speaker. It goes something like this. After observing that he cannot say that his decisions will always be correct and he does not also claim to be infallible, he gave the ruling that “but when I give my judgement, it has to be accepted because my word is final”. Here also the last say belongs to the MPSC. Nevertheless, there is always room for improvement. We have to strive for improving the system as well as continue to search for persons with impeccable integrity.
Behaviour code for NE
Tips for appropriate behaviour of NE people in general and students in particular issued by a Delhi Police officer had stirred up the hornet nest. It had generated widespread anger and invited condemnations and protests through many fora.
Even very decent and respectable persons in high circles express how much their sentiments are hurt with which I also agree. True, the condescending attitude of the officer and the manner of prescribing “dos and don’ts” like the Warden of a hostel to students in a boarding school, should no doubt make most people angry. However, even if reality bites, I all the same, maintain that we are too open and unrestrained most of the time.
Small percentage of people from North-east who can afford to live in affluent localities will not be affected. It would be mostly the students community and those others eking out their living, and staying there as temporary sojourners. They will be living near Universities or institutions and in middle class localities. People in these places would be the most conservative ones who would raise eyebrows on behaviours not conforming to their standards. As living spaces in these areas also are bound to be more crowded, what is going on or cooked in the next room/flat will always be known. Well, our food is exotic in taste and smell. I will not like to change at all though. But to an uninitiated stranger, it can conjure up so many things. Similarly our society is free and open but in a place where we are not dominant, the same can lure anti-socials who can take advantage.
The officer is no doubt sincerely concerned about the well-being and safety of North-east people but his good intentions had been misdirected. People of North-east have mongolian features and the nature of their social upbringing is different. They therefore do have problems of adjustments in a different environment. The climate is also very hot as compared to the temperate climate in which we live. The officer ought to have been more tactful. If he had taken the student leaders and some MPs of the region into confidence and interacted with them first, people would have welcomed his advice and counsel.
In conclusion, I would like to recall what Ruskin Bond has said which goes something like this “We are Indians not by race. Religion has not made us Indians either. It is History and Geography which has made us Indians.” Though different from mainstream people, we are Indians as aforesaid and because of secularism. India is our country. We have to stand up for our rights and also perform our duties.
Source: The Sangai Express
