Editor,
I wish to express the deep-seated concerns of the academic community regarding the upcoming assistant professor recruitment under the APPSC. This is the first major regular recruitment cycle since 2019, and for thousands of us, it represents a long overdue opportunity to serve our state.
The current state of higher education aspirants in Arunachal Pradesh is critical. We have hundreds of PhD, NET, and SLET holders who are currently languishing in unemployment. These scholars have invested years into specialised research, only to find themselves surviving on meagre wages as guest faculty or facing total financial uncertainty. For these individuals, the 2026 recruitment is not just a job opportunity; it is a fight for professional survival after a seven-year wait.
However, the hope surrounding this process is overshadowed by the recent controversy at Arunachal Pradesh University (APU), Pasighat. Allegations of gross unfairness surfaced when several highly qualified PhD holders were reportedly sidelined in favour of candidates with significantly lower academic credentials. The primary concern raised was the composition of the interview panels, which included experts who were professionally or personally acquainted with certain candidates.
We wish to clarify that we do not question the academic standing of the faculty from Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU). They are the pride of our state’s academic landscape. However, in our small and closely-knit academic circle, it is inevitable that RGU professors have taught or worked with many of the aspirants. When an expert is placed in a position to judge someone they already know, a conflict of interest arises that compromises the neutrality of the viva-voce.
To ensure a level playing field for all, especially for the hundreds of unemployed PhD Net, SLET holders, we request the state government and the APPSC to:
- Invite external experts: Subject experts should be invited from reputed central universities outside the state. This ensures that the interviewers are completely independent and have no prior acquaintance with the candidates.
- Implement blind scoring: The interview panel should evaluate candidates based on their performance in the room, without undue influence from personal biases.
The future of our colleges depends on this recruitment. We urge the authorities to ensure a process that is as rigorous and clean as the hard work we have put into our degrees.
A concerned aspirant