Amid the gloom, fear and confusion caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio announced on June 15 that the much-awaited Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB) would become a reality soon, assuring that it would be approved within one month’s time. The news could not have come at a better time for the people of the state, especially students who are aspiring to write various examinations and serve the state, as uncertainty about the future looms large. This long-overdue move will not only infuse hope into the minds of the educated youths in the state but also help curb rampant nepotism and favouritism in recruitment process that has become part of the system over several decades. It is a commendable move from the incumbent state government. This is a not a demand that started overnight. It has been going on for years; something that everybody knew was required to do away with corruption in recruitment of public servants in the state. All that was needed was the political will to implement it. The present government listened to the voice of the people, understood its necessity and had the audacity to finally materialise it, which is praise-worthy.
The Public Service Aspirants of Nagaland (PSAN), a group started by like-minded people from the state, has been fighting for implementation of NSSB since 2016, in an attempt to curb backdoor appointment by conducting examination for recruitment to all posts that do not come under the purview of the Nagaland Public Service Commission. As the group continued to pursue the cause with unwavering determination, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) joined hands and took it further. There was perhaps no organisation that opposed the setting up of the board except some apprehension and misunderstanding that arose when the NSF served an ultimatum to the state government earlier this year and decided to initiate an agitation before it was suspended due to the outbreak of coronavirus. On sensing the possibility of straying away from the main issue, the student body clarified that its aim was to ensure that every educated youth of Nagaland gets equal job opportunity in matters of public employment. The genuine demand didn’t derail and the state government did not fail the people this time, as its committee for the board seemed to have worked on the modalities despite the crisis at hand.
All the organisations and individuals who selflessly sacrificed their time and energy for this cause deserve praises; their yeoman service will take the state a long way in solving the issues related to appointments to public offices and arrest sabotage of meritocracy. But the fight shouldn’t end with the setting up of the board. It is equally important to ensure that competent people with expertise in competitive examinations are in the board. Without efficiency, transparency and accountability in recruitment process, the board will be like old wine in new bottle. If corruption makes its way into the newly set up system, history will repeat itself and the people will be stuck in the vicious circle of nepotism, again.