Meghalaya: Delay in recruitment of Assistant Engineers, KSU seeks Power Min’s intervention

Advertisements were published and examination has been already conducted for the post of Assistant Engineer (Electrical/Mechanical) way back in 2019

Unhappy with the inordinate delay in recruitment of Assistant Engineers in the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL), a Khasi Students Union (KSU) delegation today sought Power Minister AT Mondal’s intervention for a solution.

But what is surprising is the fact that the KSU delegation who met the Director of MeECL recently was informed that new recruitments could not be made owing to fund crunch. The same was brought to the notice of the Meghalaya Power Minister today by the students body. However, AT Mondal too agreed before the KSU members that the MeECL is facing crisis of funds.

After meeting the Power Minister, the KSU delegation said that the minister has assured them of looking into the matter and taking appropriate steps.

Reuben Najiar, Chairman of the KSU Employment Monitoring Cell said, “We met the Power Minister with regard to employment issues in the MeECL. In 2019 the MeECL has published advertisements for posts of Assistant Engineer. The examination was conducted and 24 candidates were selected and the interview was due. But after few months when the personal interview had to be conducted a notification was published that it has to be kept in abeyance without any further notice. So since the year 2019 till date there has been no call letter for the personal interview. This lack of transparency has created a doubt in the minds of the public as to whether the MeECL in itself has employed someone else. Because till date no personal interview has been held. When we met the Director (MeECL) he told us that we cannot employ anyone as of now because we do not have sufficient funds to pay the newly recruited.”

However, the KSU leader stated that such statements are totally unacceptable. He said, “So that is something the union (KSU) cannot tolerate and that’s not an excuse. Because you have sanctioned a post, you have advertised for the post, which means that you have the capacity to pay the employee. Keeping silent for 4 years, we cannot accept that excuse.”

Informed as to what transpired in the meeting between the KSU and Power Minister AT Mondal, Reuben Najiar said, “So we came here and we met the Power Minister and told him about this. Even he has come to know about this matter today itself that advertisements were published for such posts in 2019 and until date no personal interview has been done. He has stated that he will look into these issues. He has also agreed to the fact that there is lack of funds in MeECL due to various technical reasons.

We have not given any deadline as of yet beacuse since these matters are very technical. He (AT Mondal) has given us a very positive response and we feel that we need to give them ample time to justify all these things and make recruitments in the correct procedures.”

COMMENTS