Daijiworld Media Network - Aizawl
Aizawl, Aug 12: The Mizoram Public Service Commission (MPSC) has indefinitely postponed several ongoing recruitment processes following a protest by the influential Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) over the functioning of the commission.
MZP members have been picketing outside the MPSC office since Monday, preventing employees from entering the premises. The agitation continued for a second day on Tuesday.
In a notification, the MPSC said the disruption had forced it to temporarily suspend various recruitment activities and defer previously scheduled programmes.
Several Group C examinations under different government departments are likely to be affected as question papers prepared by the commission could not be distributed because of the prevailing situation. The departments concerned have been asked to await further instructions, while departments that had planned to use MPSC examination halls have been advised to make alternative arrangements.
The commission said personal interviews for the posts of Assistant Audit and Accounts Officer, Assistant Accounts Officer (Treasury), Assistant Accounts Officer (Works) under the Finance Department and Field Facilitator under the Social Welfare, Women and Child Development Department have been deferred indefinitely.
All written examinations and personal interviews scheduled between August 11 and 14 have also been postponed. Fresh dates will be announced depending on the situation, the commission said.
Meetings of departmental promotion committees related to promotion, regularisation and confirmation of employees in various government departments have also been temporarily deferred.
The MZP has demanded structural reforms and additional manpower to strengthen the commission and improve its efficiency and credibility. The organisation has alleged that repeated administrative shortcomings in recent recruitment exercises have eroded the confidence of job aspirants and raised concerns over the One-Time Registration (OTR) system.
The student organisation has demanded that the existing OTR system be scrapped and replaced with need-based, post-specific application forms. It has also sought a one-time opportunity for candidates whose applications were rejected because of incomplete document uploads to submit the missing documents offline, particularly those who cleared written examinations but were later disqualified during document verification.
The MPSC, however, rejected the demand to discontinue the OTR system, saying it could create further complications for job seekers and undermine a uniform recruitment process. The commission said the system was introduced to streamline recruitment and ensure fairness and equality in public employment.
The commission also opposed opening a special window for candidates whose applications were rejected for missing documents, saying it would violate the principle of equal treatment and disadvantage candidates who had submitted complete applications within the prescribed deadline.
The MPSC maintained that applications can be rejected at any stage if documents are incomplete, regardless of a candidate's performance in a written examination.
Acknowledging the difficulties faced by candidates, the commission said it had already taken steps to improve scrutiny of applications at the initial stage. It has also sought additional manpower from higher authorities to ensure documents are thoroughly checked when applications are submitted.
The commission said efforts were continuing to improve its online recruitment portal and urged the MZP to call off the agitation and allow employees to enter its office.
The MPSC expressed serious concern that the continued protest was affecting candidates appearing for examinations and interviews and could also delay the promotion of government employees.