Recruitment Spree in Manipur Raises Concerns Over Transparency, Allegations of Discrimination Against Kukis

The Manipur government’s handling of various recruitment processes has raised significant concerns regarding the treatment of aspirants’ efforts and investments, esp. concerning the Kukis.

Amidst living in a system of administration that is dominated by the majority Meitei community, the Kukis have been subjected to the worst forms of discrimination for decades. The discrimination to which they have been subjected has only exacerbated since the beginning of the state-sponsored ethnic cleaning began on 3rd May, 2023.

The Kukis have faced various violations of Constitutional Rights such as the violation of Constitutional Right to Life, Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression, to name a few.

In this regard, a case in point is the recently conducted recruitment process/examination and recently declared results of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Section Officer Grades I and II recruitments. While the only examination center in any of the Hill Districts was Senapati, the recruitment process was initiated and completed and, in the results, declared on the 8th of March, 2024, the twenty-nine ST Reserved seats were devoid of any Kuki candidates. The

entire recruitment process and subsequent results constitute an immense violation of Fundamental Right to Equality of Opportunity in Matters of Public Recruitment (Article 16).

Several instances highlight the Government’s apparent negligence and favoritism:

1. The ADC Churachandpur notification, issued on 9/11/2022 for 125 posts, and several hills’ districts for a handful of posts in their jurisdiction. However, till today examination is not seen in sight for thousands of aspirants, causing uncertainty and frustration among applicants across all hill districts of Manipur.
2. The Consumer Affairs PDS Manipur examination, held on 19/09/2021, saw its results declared on 3rd March 2024. However, suspicions arise regarding unfair treatment, particularly concerning the Computer Skill test for the Kuki Community. The scheduling of a Computer Skill test on 6th March 2024, solely in Imphal, raises significant questions: Will the Kuki selected aspirants dare to visit Imphal for such a test while they have been hunted and chased away from Imphal since 3rd of May 2023? It also prompts speculation if the government already intended to exclude Kuki candidates from consideration, leading to concerns about bias.
3. The GAD Secretariat recruitment for Stenographer, initiated on 16/04/2021, has conducted written and skill tests, yet the results remain pending till today. Additionally, a new notification on 4/03/2024, calling for recruitment for another 8 vacancies for the same post, indicates a lack of transparency and efficiency. This raises doubts about the government’s intentions, questioning if the recruitment process is merely a means to generate revenue.
4. The MSPDCL notification from 30th Jan 2019 for filling 622 vacancies has seen a prolonged delay in result declaration, including Junior Establishment Assistant and Junior Technical System among others. Despite this delay, on 21/02/2024, the same department announced another recruitment drive for 86 vacancies, including the post of Junior Esst Assistant etc again showcasing poor management and disregard for aspirants’ time and money.
5. The Education (S), Government of Manipur, advertised 120 vacancies for Pre-Primary Teachers on 23/12/2020, with written exams conducted and results awaited. However, on 9th March 2024, the department surprisingly announced contractual engagement for 1140 posts for the same position, leaving candidates perplexed and questioning the government’s intentions while the earlier notifications were swept under the carpet.
6. The PHED, Government of Manipur, announced 91 vacancies way back on 21/02/2023. Despite ongoing violence, examination centers were extended to Senapati, predominantly Naga inhabited areas. However, no examination centers were provided for Kuki community aspirants, despite requests, leading to a boycott by the KSO. Subsequently, results declared on 8th March 2024 revealed a lack of representation of Kuki candidates under ST categories or under UR/ General Category, raising serious concerns about bias within the government, particularly in the PHED Department. The presence of Kuki individuals in various central ministries/departments attests to their hard work and capabilities.
7. The results of Tele Manas NHM for  the post of Counsellor, conducted on 15/02/24, were announced on 8/03/24. Based on this list, none of the 11 candidates from the Kuki were made into the list. To make the matter worse, out of the selected candidates from the ST list, three of the candidates bearing the roll numbers, 7215, 7218, and 7222 were not in the list of eligible candidates for the oral assessment. The last bearing roll number for the post of Counsellor is 7211. So, how did the concerned authorities finally select those candidates who did not even appear for the oral assessment? A Ghost candidate missing in the oral/interview list could be selected for a Post?

These are few instances that underscore a troubling pattern of mismanagement, delay, and potential discrimination under the Government of Manipur. It is not  a  new  thing  in  Manipur that mass recruitment used to take place when elections are round the corner. But it would be unfair for the Government of Manipur to continue the ongoing recruitment advertisement until the situation is conducive for fair and just delivery for all citizens of Manipur, as the State is in chaos with communal violence which is still unabated. Therefore, it would not be wrong for the Government to immediately halt ongoing recruitment processes until normalcy returns in the state, to ensure fair and transparent procedures for all aspirants, not only for the Kuki communities but for fair and equitable opportunities for every youth of Manipur