Dimapur, June 12 (EMN): The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) appears to be taking swift strides to weed out corruption in the state as its new team led by president Ninoto Awomi called on Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio at his office on Wednesday to apprise him and seek support on various pressing issues that are confronting the student community in the state.
In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, the NSF reiterated its demand to set up a Staff Selection Board (SSB) committee within two months by the department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms with members of the concerned department and experts to draft the policy in tune with implemented states like Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh etc., informed a statement from the federation.
It suggested that the government “scrap departmental exams immediately” and all vacancies in Grade III posts that do not fall under the purview of Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) be put under the SSB for open competition. The federation also urged the cabinet led by the chief minister to take the decision immediately and the “notification to the effect be issued and accordingly notified in the official gazette within the stipulated period of two months.”
Responding to the memorandum, the chief minister acknowledged the need to set up SSB to root out corruption. While admitting certain practical difficulties confronting his government on setting up SSB and its implementation, Rio “assured the team that the matter shall be discussed with his cabinet colleagues and fellow legislators and the right steps forward shall be taken up by his government at the earliest,” read the statement.
The CM lauded the NSF for taking up the issue and added that his government would solve the problems raised by the All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) at the earliest.
PSAN laments delay in setting up of SSB
The Public Service Aspirants of Nagaland (PSAN) said in a statement that the idea of SSB cropped up in 2016 because of the need to streamline recruitment process and stop the practice of backdoor appointment.
The association approached Governor PB Acharya in 2016 with a representation to set up of SSB along the lines of Staff Selection Commission to ensure “free, fair and transparent recruitment to posts which do not fall under the purview of the NPSC,” said the statement. It lamented that nothing happened despite submitting representations to the then CMs Dr. Surhozelie and TR Zeliang, and several meetings with the government officials. It added that CM Neiphiu Rio had last year directed the department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms (P&AR) to “examine the demand seriously” but no positive outcome till date.
PSAN hopes that the government will prioritise this matter and give it due importance, stating that it will “promote meritocracy and instil a sense of competition among the youth, which will in turn benefit the Naga society as a whole.”
