Last year, an exam conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission to recruit assistant professors in the state’s various colleges and universities was strange and unique. The major fault was that the final results of this examination were announced just on the basis of an MCQ (multiple choice question) written examination and the mandatory interview stage (as per UGC guidelines) was completely scrapped.
Those who had qualified argued that they were eligible candidates, that they had passed the NET (National Eligibility Test) exam. They said many of the qualified candidates held doctorates, with some teaching experience, and therefore questioning the validity of the test is just nitpicking.
While these may be true, the arguments do not address the issue of bypassing the UGC guidelines and hiring candidates solely on the basis of on an MCQ test.
One has to keep in mind that in this case, the appointments are not of lower-division clerical staff, where the interview process might not be essential. Interviews are paramount to the appointment of higher education staff. The point is not that highly qualified candidates did make it into the final list. It is crucial to understand that because of the interviews being scrapped – in the name of fastening the examination process – many talented, skilled and experienced candidates could not be selected.
Also Read: Madhya Pradesh College Faculty Recruited Based on Multiple-Choice Questions
In simple terms, a post-graduate with NET qualification and a candidate with a doctorate and teaching experience as adhoc faculty are now considered to be on the same level. Is this a fair comparison? To someone with even basic knowledge of the demands of the education system, this should raise alarm bells.
The decision was taken under the previous BJP government. The advertisement to hire assistant professors was issued hastily, just six months before the state assembly elections. The idea was to conduct the entire process before the elections, even if that meant scrapping the necessary interview round. This was precisely the reason why a corrigendum was issued in May 2019, saying that for 2018 only, it had been decided that the interview process would be scrapped.
The exam was conducted in June 2018 and by August 2018, the list of selected candidates was published. At that time, certain sections of media praised the BJP government’s decision to complete the process in a quick manner. The Congress, then in the opposition, called it a political gimmick.
No change in status
After the state elections in December 2018, the Congress returned to power after 15 years. The aggrieved candidates hoped that the new government would rectify the mistake. The demand was to either introduce the interview stage within the same examination or to conduct the examination again, with both written and interview stages. There was also a demand to reintroduce the academic performance indicators (API), which were also scrapped in the 2018 exam.
Ten months down the line, nothing has changed except the government in the state. Though the Congress government had time to rectify the recruitment process, it chose not to do so.
Just a few days ago, the Madhya Pradesh higher education department announced on its website that all the candidates who qualified through the exam can report to the department along with the necessary documents to complete the recruitment process.
If the appointments are made, it would mean that the Congress government approves of this populist decision. It would also indicate the major rot that has entered the higher education system. Once appointments are made, it will set a bad precedent for other state governments and incentivise a populist approach.
At the end of the day, winning elections remains the only goal of political parties. The ends have become more important than the means.
Martand Jha is a freelance writer based in New Delhi.
