Paul mocks women police recruitment

SHILLONG, MAR 10: Opposition UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh mocked the state government over the advertisement for recruitment of women police that required the candidates to run a distance of 3 kilometers in just 7 minutes or less even as he said that women world champion runs the same distance in 8 minutes.

Ridiculing the advertisement issued by the Central Recruitment Board chairman of the Meghalaya police for filling up 1425 vacanies in the department last month, Lyngdoh told the state assembly during the budget session on Thursday, “Are we selecting police recruits or are we selecting athletes for Olympics as records from 1975 to 1993 on international women athletes showed they run the same distant and become champions of their times in 8 minutes.”

Lyngdoh who moved a special motion during the session pointed to the major flaws in the advertisement that obviously embarrassed the home department .

As per the advertisement, the time limit fixed for female police job aspirants appearing for the physical test was to complete 3 kilometers running is 7 minutes or less. It also stated if candidates records 14 minutes or above, they would stand disqualified.

Lyngdoh said, “The department should clarify because even champions have not been able to manage this standards set by Meghalaya police,” while demanding the state government to keep on hold the notification (advertisement) till such flaws are rectified.

Lyngdoh termed the advertisement as illegal for allegedly attempting to restrict job aspirants from applying for more than one post.

“This is totally unacceptable and illegal because it denies the candidates’ access to any number of vacancies to which he/she is eligible. It is also against the law of natural justice,” he said.

Another lacunae pointed out by Lyngdoh was the advertisement’s para 5 which stated – “Candidates should be able to speak read and write at least one of the regional languages of the state.”

“I would like to know when was the Regional Language Bill introduced in this house and when did it become an act,” Lyngdoh asked while adding “We all know that official language of Meghalaya is English and in 2005 this august house had passed the associate languages bills making Khasi and Garo as two associate languages of the state.”

Lyngdoh questioned whether a department on its own can frame separate distinct arbitrary recruitment policy and come up with advertisements which defer from one recruitment year to next recruitment year.

“These issues needs to be addressed otherwise department will come with their own recruitment policies and formulas which then defeat will the state reservation policy,” the legislator stated.

In her reply, home minister Roshan Warjri assured that the government will re-examined the notification on the recruitment advertisement and take action accordingly.

Clarifying that as per the recruitment policy (amended), the time for completing the 3km run is 14 minutes, Warjri however said, “If mistakes have occurred in the advertisement, this will be corrected.”-By Our Reporter