A serious speculation relating to selection of candidates for different jobs in Nagaland is nepotism and bribery. Job black market is another predicament. There have been instances of discursive, illegal and unethical practices in job selection processes in Nagaland. So, such speculations cannot be ruled out in relation to the School Teachers’ Interview in prospect. Beyond this speculative fear, nevertheless, is a faint hope that some deserving candidates will also be selected.
Preparations for such interview are surprisingly varied. Candidates give a last minute reading of their subjects and General Knowledge and some undergo mock interviews. There may also be parents reiterating advises in the lines of ‘honesty is the best policy’ and ‘God helps those who help themselves’. Some parents may be also busy getting references and petitions from Ministers, bureaucrats and others. What is the nature of pressure through which parents pursue their children’s selection through unethical means? What is the level of public pressure under which Minister and Bureaucrats write recommendations for candidates? What are the limits of job vacancy as against the high number of educated youth that drives many into desperate measures? Apart from perpetuating the blame game, there is no single straight forward answer or solution to these questions.
What about the candidates understanding of the nature of the teaching job? What draws the candidates to this profession? Is it in consideration of lucrative government salary, elaborate vacations and convenient work hours? In case teachers or to be teachers are drawn into defining job satisfaction on such lines, they are highly deluded. A real teacher is one who can deliver knowledge with passion and ensures that the same is received with the same passion. More importantly, this noble profession entails a person’s unparalleled wisdom, dignity, decency, righteousness, excellence and profound commitment to instill these qualities in the young minds. Students learn from the teacher’s life (private and public) as much as they do from curricular learning. That’s why we call it ‘bringing up’ and not ‘teaching’ young minds.
The greatest benefit of a teacher is the joy of being with young people with a commitment of making them fall in love with knowledge and the privilege of having to teach, sing, play with young people throughout life. The nature of pleasure involved in seeing students’ progress report and watching them grow up into responsible individuals is unspeakable. Teachers know for sure that their students’ growth and success story is very much a part of their professional experience and personal life. Far more than job satisfaction, this is life satisfaction.
Now it gets down to the responsibility on the part of the Interview board. The career of thousands of educated candidates, fate of school children and tomorrow’s generation depends on the integrity and wisdom of the interview board. It is the selection of a stock of wise teachers who are sure about values and are sensitive to issues that plague society. It is the responsibility and commitment of the interview board to give the best teachers to Nagaland. What are the parameters of examining candidates’ personality corresponding to this noble profession? How can the talents and potentials of candidates that relates to nurturing traits of the school children be explored? How can candidate’s vision and objectives be judged? There is no certificate for all these traits and that is the only rationale and trust of interview. Yet another challenge that faces the integrity as also the career of interview board members is the question of bypassing ‘strong’ recommendations from different quarters. It’s for the interview board to give ruling in lines with their wisdom, moral integrity and boldness.
Dr. Walunir
(The writer can be reached at walunir@amity.edu and walutz2@yahoo.com)
