By : Sentinel Digital Desk
| 16 Oct 2022 6:01 PM GMT
Nyatum Doke
(The writer is the DIPRO, Longding)
Arunachal Pradesh is undergoing a rough phase, experiencing many contradic tions and conflicts. Of late, the dreadful cacophony of APPSC’s (Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission) wrongdoings has reached its crescendo. There has been a spree of ‘allegation and counter-allegation, FIR and counter-FIR’. Then, the cloud of suspicion and skepticism has engulfed the entire state, creating trust deficit and shaking the fraternity.
APPSC’s ‘job-for-cash’ scam has made everything gloomy, murky and misty; everyone is saddened by the uncanny revelations. The allegation against the body, which wassupposed to breed and forge the steel frame for the state, is shaking the spirits of the youth – who were dreaming to be the torchbearers of the state. Aspirants are dejected and despairing as their dreams have been deferred with no tangible solution in sight. Nevertheless, everything is not lost forever and there is still hope and in fact it may prove to be the best time in hindsight.
The demand for overhauling the working of APPSC has been a long-standing demand which now has become an absolute imperative. One of the most importance reforms in APPSC exam, I believe, would be to relax the “age criteria”. Age relaxation should be given to all the aspirants, as in the last 15 years, only five APPSC CCE have been conducted (averaging 3 years for completion of one exam process). To add, even for Assam Public Service Commission exam the maximum age is 38 for General Category and 43 for STs. This should be adopted for APPSC as well. Also, the age relaxation is a pertinent and genuine demand given the fact that the delays in timely completion of process have usually been the due to the errors in process on the part of the commission.
Then, as an immediate measure to keep the cart moving, the government should give a thought towards handing over the process of conducting APPSC to UPSC so long as the process for reforming is ongoing. It will not just give new ray of hope to students, but also give adequate time to the investigation agencies to probe the case thoroughly. Devising an immediate solution to conduct exams during the investigation and until the investigation is completed is important. The aspirants should not be made to wait for eternity.
Nevertheless, during this tumultuous time people should try to stay objective, reasonable and sensitive. We should refrain from giving the ‘wrong doings’ an identity or vilify each other, because the problem cannot be resolved by isolating our brethren in the process. It is understandable that students and aspirants are not able to see through the diaphanous curtains of all the negative news enveloping their path to their goal.
However, as I said above, this is an opportunity for a new beginning with a reformed and revamped system. With vigilant and aware aspirants along with the government that is ready to work for the betterment of the people, it can be expected that the light will shine the brightest after this brief period of darkness.
The famous quote by Charles Dickens truly captures the present condition and situations of the state: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” Last but not the least, despite all the negative emotions that someone might be experiencing, we need to work hard and keep doing what we are supposed to do – we have to raise our voice of hope amidst the despair and ‘keep the flame burning’.
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APPSC fiasco: Hope and despair – Sentinelassam – The Sentinel Assam
