Shillong, June 25: Ever since Meghalaya implemented the Roster System for recruitment into government posts, every recruitment has been under heavy scrutiny as the major tribes of the state don’t want to miss out on the reservation share that belongs to them. The latest recruitment in the eye of this storm, and going viral on social media, is the recruitment for Assistant Auditor (Assistant Audit Officer) under the Administrative Control of the Directorate of Local Fund Audit, Meghalaya.

The Garo community is especially concerned with the recruitment since only 4 Garo candidates were recruited against their quota of 7 posts out of the total 18 posts. In contrast, Khasi-Jaintia candidates were recruited for all the 8 posts reserved for them. The total number of candidates recruited were 14 against the advertised 18 posts, with 4 remaining vacant.

With 3 posts meant for the Garo Community left vacant since the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) could not find suitable candidates has not gone down well with the community. They have voiced injustice against them and an alleged attempt to keep their representation low in the government.

The Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) had advertised for 18 vacant posts of Assistant Audit Officer on August 21, 2023, which were to be filled based on the state roster system. Accordingly, 8 posts were reserved for the Khasi-Jaintia category, 7 for the Garo category, one for the other Scheduled Caste (OSC) and Other Schedule Tribes (OST) category of the state, and two seats were earmarked for the unreserved category.

However, when the results were declared on March 14, 2024, only 4 candidates from the Garo category featured in the list and none from the OSC, OST category. 8 candidates featured from the Khasi-Jaintia category and two from the unreserved category

The MPSC clarified in its result notification that “only four candidates were recommended from the Garo category and no candidate was recommended from the OST, OSC category.”

However, as per rules, it is understood that the posts will be readvertised.

The State Reservation Policy, 1972 also clearly states that any deficiency in reservation will be carried over to next year.

In fact, Clause 2 of the Meghalaya State Reservation Policy, 1972 states that: “If sufficient number of suitable candidates for filling up the reserved vacancies is not available from the respective classes in any particular year, then such vacancies will be available to others. But the deficiency in the number of Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes will be carried forward to the next recruitment year and made good in the recruitment of that year, provided that the reservation on account of the deficiency shall not be carried forward for more than one year. After the expiry of the second year, these reservations shall be treated as lapsed. It has also been decided that at no time shall the number of normal reserved vacancies and the ‘carry forward’ vacancies together exceed 90 per cent of the total number of vacancies in that year.”

Also, Personnel department has issued a clarification recently that MPSC shall in the advertisement also clearly state the pass marks if provided in service rules so that candidates are aware of the minimum qualifying marks.

Also Read: Conrad seeks Centre’s helping hand for state’s development, meets several ministers

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