A senior IAS lady officer during a recent public function in Dimapur expressed concern over the quality of teachers in the State and highlighted the fact that Nagaland has the least number of trained teachers in the country. In other words, the quality of teachers in the State remains far from satisfactory. And as recently as yesterday, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has cautioned on a reported proposal to regularize contract employees (LDA Gr) numbering around 170 under Civil Secretariat, Power department, RD department and other departments. The core of the problem lies in the job recruitment process or the lack of it in this case. As such the issue goes much beyond the concern shown by a senior bureaucrat or the NSF.
It is common knowledge that the bane of administration (including school systems) in Nagaland has been that the quality of its work force. Appointments particularly in the middle and lower rung bureaucracy or school levels have mostly been done by politicians through back door manipulations. This has resulted in unqualified personnel and subsequently poor motivation and interest resulting in the deteriorating work ethics and culture. What is required is a more open system of recruitment process that will give equal opportunities to the qualified and deserving youths waiting in the wings.
An open job recruitment process is not only fair and right but also gives an equal opportunity to everyone. The end result is that the best can be selected from the vast pool of qualified unemployed people, especially the Naga youths who have been starved of employment opportunities (other than the Nagaland Civil Service/Police Service). As a result, with the absorption of the better qualified personnel into the government sector; the much needed enthusiasm that is clearly lacking can be brought in. Likewise, a better qualified and younger workforce can assure the system, both creativity and innovative spirit to reinvigorate the lackadaisical bureaucracy, which is the need of the hour. The quality of governance or teaching is also bound to improve by having the right person in the right job.
With another election year, it makes sense for the public to remain vigilant or better still they should write and speak on such issues. At the end of the day there may be hundred and one suggestions but if politicians do not show the will to bring about correction, then there is no point of debating about reforms or good governance. With a new government in place soon, the public should remain alert especially during the ‘honeymoon period’, which may well extent into the second year. The NSF in particular must keep a close watch on the new government and put enough pressure to ensure that illegality with regard to (backdoor) appointment is not allowed to happen. Powerful lobbies and party interests must be kept out. Job vacancies in the various State run departments must be made public and the recruitment process streamlined. And with Assembly elections only a few days away, public debate must center on the need to overhaul the system of job recruitment—because that is the place where the problem lies.
