The Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur was born together with the state of Manipur in 1992. In the early days, the Council had playwright and novelist N Kunjamohon Singh manning its affairs. But over time, the posts of chairman and secretary became political in nature – people were appointed because of their proximity to a political party and not because of their academic brilliance or integrity.

The downward slide began many years ago, but things have reached its nadir now under the chairmanship of Lamabam Mahendra Singh and secretary Chabungbam Biren Singh. The Council is not being run as an autonomous body tasked with preparing students for the last stage of their school education but more like a family business. Employees include the daughter of the chairman himself and close relatives of other office bearers.

The situation came to light in November last year when the Council put out an advertisement for recruitment to 19 posts. It was not inserted in any of the popular morning dailies of the state but in an evening newspaper with limited readership and that too for one day only. But when the selection process was finally over, it was found that 49 people had been appointed against the advertised posts of 19, an excess of 30! The advertisement was carried vide notification number 1/2/92-HSC(Vol-V) dated 5 November 2019. The vacant posts officially comprised two assistant programmers (three were appointed), seven lower division assistants (22 were finally recruited), three drivers (six were taken on) and seven Grade IV staff members or peons (16 were appointed).

What appears shocking is the fact that topping the list of those recruited is one L Ranjita Devi as a peon. The truth is she has not attended office for a single day since her appointment, but her salary continues to be credited to her bank account every month without fail. What also makes interesting reading is that Bijaya Senjam, wife of the Council’s legal advisor Naorem Jackson, finds a place as an assistant programmer. Dinesh Adhikari, son of a Council member, and Pheiroijam Holyfield, son of the controller of the Council, were also appointed as assistant programmers.

Kh Dinshwar Singh, brother-inlaw of chairman Lamabam Mahendra Singh, and L Amitkumar Singh, another of the chairman’s relatives, were recruited as lower division assistants. Nameirakpam Teena, daughter of a section officer and a close aide of the chairman, was selected as an LDA. Appointed as another LDA, N Boinaocha Meitei is the son of a deputy secretary of the Council, who is also close to the chairman. The secretary’s niece, Ch Pushpa Devi has been appointed too.

Two more relatives of the secretary, namely N Chingkheihunba Singh has been appointed as a driver while L Pinky Devi is a peon. Also finding a place as a peon is Th Indurani Devi, sister of a joint secretary of the Council. Completing the list of near and dear ones who were appointed is Mandela Thangjam, said to be a close relative of a joint secretary of the Council, as an LDA. Besides the 30 people in excess, five more lower division assistants were appointed on daily wages during the lockdown period.

It warrants mention here that according to section 12 (6) of the Manipur Higher Secondary Act, 1992, “the Council may appoint such other officers and employees as it may consider necessary for the efficient discharge of its functions under this Act on such terms and conditions as may be determined by regulations made by the Council, subject to the approval of the Government”. It has come to light that no such approval was sought by the chairman from the government while advertising for the 19 posts.

Going by sources inside the Council, the prevailing market rate for non-relatives to get appointed to the posts advertised is between Rs eight and 10 lakh for Grade-IV employees, Rs 12-14 lakh for LDAs and above Rs 20 lakh for assistant programmers. The prices for daily wage workers are unknown. Meanwhile, Lamabam Mahendra Singh has recently purchased a piece of land in Imphal’s Kwakeithel and constructed a fourstoried building.

Being an autonomous institution, the Council does not get any grant-inaid, but its budget is drawn from the fees it receives from students and various educational establishments. That perhaps accounts for the fact that the registration/examination fees collected from students was increased from Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,000 per student from last year and the fees for change of address of schools was hiked from Rs one lakh to Rs 10 lakh. The chairman is said to have justified the hike in rates to employees by stating that it is augmenting revenue. The Council has 166 employees till date and its last budget was Rs 14 crore.

The way the chairman treats employees under him is also coming into question. Four people were suspended on charges of non-attendance during the Covid lockdown period. They are K Bijoy Singh, upper division assistant, L Sanathoi, lower division assistant, and Wangkheirakpam Ajitshwor and P Gaseng Gapou, Grade-IV staff. They were not served the mandatory show cause notices but summarily suspended on charges that they did not sign the attendance register, which insiders claim is a practice not in vogue.

On the other hand, while no major swindling of funds has been detected, it has been reported that the chairman and other higher-ups purchase expensive watches and mobile phones out of the Council’s funds. They are shown as expenditure under the head of purchase of consumables meant for daily office use. The accounts of the Council do not come under the purview of the Accountant General of India’s office but are done by personnel of the Local Fund Audit of the state. It won’t be surprising to find the latter going home with heaving pockets.

It goes without saying that if found guilty, the chairman and secretary should be accorded befitting punishments for nepotism or corruption even if they cease to hold office in the near future.

Chief minister N Biren Singh must take note of the misdoings in the Council and deem it part of the “war on corruption” that he had announced when he assumed office in 2017. Also, the chief secretary, being chairman of the State Vigilance Commission, should register a vigilance case to probe the matter and bring the culprits to book. The state education minister Salam Rajen Singh, on the other hand, should make a policy change and have the Council’s chairman replaced by an IAS officer who can be rotated every two years. That will ensure no one can treat the Council as their personal fiefdom.

The writer is the Imphal-based Special Representative of The Statesman