Editor,
I wish to express my appreciation to the department of sericulture and the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) for notifying the syllabus for the post of assistant director (sericulture). The announcement has generated great enthusiasm among aspiring candidates across the state.
However, the happiness was short-lived upon reviewing the syllabus. Paper I deals entirely with mulberry sericulture, while vanya (non-mulberry) silk – which includes eri, muga, tasar and oak tasar – has been allotted only a small portion under Paper II.
This is deeply disappointing for many of us who have completed post graduate diploma in sericulture (PGDS) with specialization in vanya (non-mulberry) silk from the Central Tasar Research & Training Institute (CTR&TI) under the Central Silk Board, ministry of textiles, Ranchi, Jharkhand.
It is important to highlight that the choice between mulberry and vanya silk was determined solely by the department of sericulture (formerly the department of handicrafts & textiles). Since 2017, the department has consistently sponsored students to CTR&TI, Ranchi for vanya silk and to the Central Sericulture Research & Training Institute (CSR&TI), Berhampore for mulberry silk. Therefore, minimizing or excluding non-mulberry content from the syllabus is unfair and discriminatory, and constitutes the unwarranted exclusion of a significant group of qualified candidates.
It must also be emphasized that vanya silk holds great relevance to Arunachal Pradesh, where eri and muga rearing are traditionally practiced and form a vital part of the rural economy. Hence, the syllabus should reflect the state’s sericulture diversity and practical realities. Furthermore, it is expected that all government recruitment processes should, under normal circumstances, aim to maximize opportunities for all eligible candidates, rather than limiting them through subject imbalance.
We therefore appeal to the APPSC chairman to kindly review and revise the syllabus, so that both mulberry and non-mulberry sericulture receive equal and balanced representation. This will ensure a fair, inclusive, and contextually appropriate opportunity for all candidates trained under different sericulture streams.
Concerned PGDS (vanya) students