A Six-Year Wait and Still No Results: The Unending Recruitment Saga at Manipur University

It is deeply troubling that in an era where institutions claim to uphold transparency and efficiency, Manipur University (MU) has failed to conclude a recruitment process that began over six years ago. The recruitment for Group B and C non-teaching posts, advertised under Advertisement No. 2/2019 dated 27th May 2019, remains incomplete, with results still pending long after the written examination was conducted on 2nd February 2025.

To recount the timeline, the advertisement was issued in May 2019, inviting applications for various non-teaching positions. A shortlist of eligible candidates was released in February 2020, raising hopes that the examination and selection process would follow promptly. However, years passed without any examination being conducted. Only on 2nd February 2025, almost six years after the advertisement, was the written test finally held. Since then, more than seven months have passed, but no results have been declared.

This protracted delay raises serious concerns about the efficiency, integrity, and accountability of the recruitment process at Manipur University. It is not merely a bureaucratic oversight—it is a failure that has directly impacted the lives and futures of hundreds of aspiring candidates. Many of them have aged out of eligibility for other government positions, while others have put their lives on hold, awaiting a recruitment process that seems endless.

What makes the situation even more frustrating is the complete lack of communication from the university. No official statement has been issued regarding the cause of the delay, nor has any timeline been provided for when the results might be expected. This silence is both unacceptable and unfair. A publicly funded central university owes it to its applicants to provide clear and timely updates, especially when so much is at stake. The delay also points to a larger issue plaguing public recruitment systems in India—administrative apathy and absence of fixed timelines. Recruitment processes in government institutions, particularly universities, often stretch indefinitely, with no mechanisms for candidates to seek redress or hold officials accountable. This needs urgent reform. It is imperative that the Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University, Registrar and the recruitment committee take immediate steps to release the examination results or issue a clear explanation for the delay. If there are legal or procedural reasons, the university should inform the candidates transparently. Keeping them in the dark is not only unprofessional—it is unjust.

Moreover, the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Ministry of Education must step in and monitor such delayed recruitments to ensure timelines are respected and that universities adhere to basic standards of good governance. For the hundreds of candidates who have waited with patience and hope, the least the university can do now is provide them clarity and closure. Recruitment processes must not become indefinite exercises in administrative limbo. The time for silence is over. Manipur University must act—urgently and transparently.

Dr. Abram Yeng