CESE mark weightage: NNQF seeks HE minister’s urgent intervention

DIMAPUR — The Nagaland Net Qualified Forum (NNQF) has sought the urgent intervention of the minister of Higher Education pertaining to mark weightage of the Common Educational Service Examination (CESE) and contractual appointments.

In an open letter to the minister of Higher Education (HE), the NNQF highlighted on the mark weightage or percentage of academic marks that makes up 40% of the CESE selection criteria; the other two criteria being 45% for written examination and 15% for interview. 

“As stated previously, this 40% weightage given to academic marks has put many candidates at a disadvantage, particularly those from the annual system and who are on the verge of becoming overage with regard to the CESE. ” the forum stated.

Pointing out that this group of aspirants is at a disadvantage from various viewpoints, the NNQF stated that in the first place, they have been denied the right to equal opportunity for all those years when many posts were not advertised and recruitment took place through other channels other than the CESE, NPSC.

Secondly, when they compete with the younger batches of the semester system, they are already behind based on the scoring differences between the annual and the semester system, it stated.

The forum also stated that that many universities and colleges may not be as generous as others in terms of marking, despite the good quality education imparted and their high ranking status amongst institutions across the country.

“This puts students from good institutions with a lesser scoring range at a disadvantage as well. Thus, the 40% mark weightage on academic marks does not aid to the open and fair aspect of the exam,” it stated.

The forum went on to state that the current mark distribution system leaves out points that can be scored by candidates who are or had been actively engaged with the academia post their master’s degree.

The NNQF called for modifying the rules pertaining to the 40% weightage given to academic marks, including MPhil/PhD degree, academic publications in peer-reviewed journals and teaching experience as part of academic performance.

The forum also pointed out that some appointments that have not gone through the CESE, NPSC, are being challenged in court, and despite the ban on “contractual appointments,” such appointments continue to take place.

It also cited the August 3, 2018, judgement and order passed by the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, which stated that “any appointment without advertisement and the regularization of (such posts) is not only unconstitutional but null and void.”

Similarly, the Supreme Court in another judgement on the Uma Devi case in 2006, clarified that “regularisation cannot be a mode of appointment,” the forum stated.

“At the backdrop of all these orders, regularisation of the contractual posts will only be a reflection of disrespect to the existing law and a further violation of the rights of aspirants and equality. Therefore, we hope and pray that the regularisation of such appointments do not take place,” the open letter stated.

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