Shillong, Sept 28: The Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), Central body, on Tuesday forcefully halted the recruitment examination for assistant teacher at Laitumkhrah Assamese Secondary School here in Shillong.

Members of the FKJGP barged into the school campus and stopped the recruitment process as the federation had received a complaint that the school had not declared the results of the preliminary interview held in 2018.

Leaders of the FKJGP under the leadership of its Education Secretary, Khrawkupar Nongsiej, met with the school administration to seek clarification as to why the school authority and the Managing Committee have not declared the results but keep on re-advertising the post.

The FKJGP leader claimed that through an RTI finding, six candidates appeared for both the written exam and personal interview and it was the Khasi candidates who had done well but the results were never declared but the post was re-advertised three times since 2018.

In the RTI finding further revealed that one khasi candidate had secured a total of 20.5 out of 30 marks.

On speaking to reporters, FKJGP leader Khrawkupar said, “The reason for us to close down this examination is because the same examination has been conducted in the year 2018 and a Khasi lady had passed the examination with very good marks therefore she is the deserving candidate of this post.”

“However, the school administration never gave the post to the woman nor did they inform the lady about her clearance and (asked her to) join the school, and they are now conducting an exam for the very same post. This injustice to the Khasi lady is not at all acceptable,” added Khrawkupar.

Talking to the principal of the school, P. Devi, the FKJGP asked for a proper explanation as to why was the Khasi lady never received a joining letter after clearing the examination as the top most candidate and re-conducting the very same examination for the same post.

Answering to this, the principal of the school said that it was the Managing Committee (MC) who had asked to not announce the result.

“We have investigated about the school’s MC and we found that all the members belonged to the Assamese tribe except for one Khasi woman who represented the parents and is part of the MC of the school,” stated Khrawkupar adding that “we strongly put forward that if this school continues to act in this manner creating a sense of division in terms of culture and tribe under our State, I believe we will have to take up needed actions.”

He further informed that even the office of the Director of School Education & Literacy (DSEL) has sent a letter to the District School Education Officer (DSEO) to ask the school to send a joining letter to the Khasi lady for the post of Assistant Teacher to give her right and to also avoid any unnecessary mayhem in the future.

“What is strange is that this school never respected the DSEO even after they received an official letter from the office to send a joining letter to the Khasi lady, and went ahead with the examination and interview for this position,” added Khrawkupar.

Khrawkupar also stated that the FKJGP will meet with the DSEO of the East Khasi Hills as well as the Education Minister to give the Khasi lady her deserving post as an Assistant Teacher of Laitumkhrah Assamese Secondary School.