SHILLONG, Sept 13: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday said the process is on to fill up the over 1,301 vacant posts lying with the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC).

He was replying to a query raised by Mawlai legislator Process T Sawkmie, who had expressed concern over the delay of the MPSC to call for the job interviews.

“The process is on to fill up these vacant posts and I assure that we are working to ensure the examinations and interviews are conducted in a shorter time,” Sangma told the Assembly.

When Mawsynram legislator Himalaya Shangpliang enquired on the delay to conduct the examination for the post of enforcement inspector as well as the other vacant posts in the state, the chief minister said that the state had certain challenges during the last 2-3 years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“That has really taken things off track for the MPSC and conducting the examinations was also a big challenge and therefore, the vacancies could not be filled up. There was also a court ruling on the implementation of the roster system and hence departments were asked to comply and when they do, they (will) go ahead with the recruitment process,” Sangma said.

Reforms in MPSC

Meanwhile, the chief minister also informed that the state government is examining the reforms being proposed to revamp the MPSC in the state.

“However, we have not taken a call as these (proposed reforms) requires threadbare discussion,” he said.

Sangma informed that the different proposals which include improving the overall use of technology and to conduct the common examination for all posts having the same qualification and same scale besides setting up of more examination centres – are being examined by the government.

He added there is also an advice to come up with the Meghalaya Combined Competitive Exam Rules.

“We had discussed in the last cabinet meeting on the common examination for posts which have the same qualification and same pay scale as it saves time for calling the examination but small steps like these require a lot of due diligence as the rules have to be followed so that there is no contradiction in case someone comes with a court case. We had sent it back to the department to examine it again after changes we proposed in that discussion,” the CM said.

He also assured that the government is committed to bring in the reforms in the MPSC.