Unfair Enough for Some MCS Aspirants

By Marchang Reimeingam

(Sangai Express, Imphal, 16 May 2013)

Many times the aspirants of Manipur Civil Services (MCS) hope for fair competition, also Government of Manipur promises to fulfil this hope, while some of them were scared assuming that it would be tough and some felt unfair which could not be easily neglected. How tough or competitive the MCS examination is? The level of competition seems to be abysmally low. Out of the 542 total numbers of candidates who appeared for main examination; 275 appeared for the personality test. This gives a ratio of 1:2. That means candidate who cleared preliminary examination has a 50 percent chance of getting through the main examination. Subsequently, only 138 candidates were selected. MCS combined competitive examination conducted by Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC), Manipur, appears to be more competitive among the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and even Physically Handicapped/Differently Able (DA) candidates than among the general candidates in Manipur. For example, in the personality test (PT), more than 2 persons competed for one post among SCs or STs; however, less than 2 persons competed for a single post among general candidate. This makes an impression that every general candidate has a greater chance of getting through the examination than the reserved candidates. Specifically, for every single candidate qualified in PT (post), 2.3 ST or SC candidates appeared in the PT that is more than the overall ratio of 1:2. Interestingly, among the general candidates the ratio is 1:1.7 that is lower than the overall ratio. See Table 1 for details.

Table 1: Ratio of MCS examination (2010)

	candidate appeared in personality test (PT) (275 Nos.):mains appeared (542)	qualified PT (138):mains appeared (542)	qualified PT (138):appeared in PT (275)
General	1:1.6	1:2.7	1:1.7
ST	1:2.0	1:4.4	1:2.3
SC	1:2.9	1:6.7	1:2.3
OBC	1:2.3	1:4.5	1:2.0
Handicapped/DA	1:1.1	1:2.0	1:1.8
All	1:2.0	1:4.0	1:2.0

Source: Calculated by Reimeingam Marchang based on data from http://mpscmanipur.gov.in/files/List-of-recommended-wait-list-and-not-recommended-candidates-for-MCSCC-Examination-2010.pdf and http://mpscmanipur.gov.in/files/final_statement_of_MCSCCExam-2010.pdf (viewed on 10.05.2013)

How fair it is? MPSC declared the results for MCS Combined Competition Examination – 2010 on 26^th September 2012 (http://mpscmanipur.gov.in/files/List-of-recommended-wait-list-and-not-recommended-candidates-for-MCSCC-Examination-2010.pdf); subsequently the statement of details of marks scored by the candidates of this examination was uploaded in their website (http://mpscmanipur.gov.in/files/final_statement_of_MCSCCExam-2010.pdf)  something like in the form of RTI responses. However, MPSC failed to conceal something crucial that SC candidate who was in the Merit List at Sl. No. 80 scoring 1281 mark, shown in the statement on details of marks notified vide No.7/4/2010-MPSC(DR), Imphal, dated the 6^th of October, 2012, was listed in the Wait List Sl.No.147 vide No.7/4/2010-MPSC(DR), Imphal, 26^th September 2012 signed by the Secretary, MPSC. The cut-off mark for an (able) SC candidate was 1245. Unfortunately, the SC candidate who scored more than the cut-off mark was listed among 15 candidates in the Wait List. It is deliberate done by MPSC with certain external intervention perhaps with money or political power. It has created an unfair enough situation for some aspirants of MCS. It disturbs psychologically to many aspirants of the top administrative jobs in Manipur the MCS. Additional unfortunate issue is that a general candidate who is visually impaired who scored 652 marks is listed in the Recommended Merit List Sl.No.138, however, the ST candidate (locomotor disability) who scored 759 marks is listed in the Not Recommended List Sl.No.275. This disabled ST candidate scored more mark than this disabled general candidates. Both are disabled candidates, and I presume there are no separate reservations among the various types of disabled candidates. It may be early to conclude that this situation shows a clear discrimination to the ST people. However, this is a deliberate work done by MPSC, Govt. of Manipur. Such biasness among the candidates of SC itself or physically handicapped/differently able itself is a result of high government officials’ intervention illegally and excessive corruption. 

For citation: Marchang Reimeingam, Unfair Enough for Some MCS Aspirants, Sangai Express, Imphal, 16 May 2013.