Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has demanded inclusion of “Proficiency in any of the local dialects of Nagaland as an additional qualification,” alongside Hindi and English for engagement of gramin dak sevaks in Nagaland.
In a press release, NSF vice-president and Public Grievances Redressal Cell convener Mteisuding and assistant general secretary and Public Grievances Redressal Cell member secretary Kenilo Kent claimed that they had learnt that the Department of Posts intended to recruit 173 gramin dak sevaks, branch postmasters (BPM), and assistant branch postmasters (ABPMs) to serve in branch post offices (BPOs) to be established in the state.
While welcoming the recruitment drive, they expressed grave concern that the draft model notification issued by the Department of Posts stipulated Hindi or English as the local language for engagement as gramin dak sevaks in Nagaland. While these languages were important, they pointed out that this criteria effectively limited opportunities for local youth, as they must compete with candidates from outside the state who, due to differing marking patterns, often had better academic proficiency in Hindi and English.
Additionally, candidates from outside Nagaland faced difficulties in communicating with the local population due to their limited knowledge of the local tribal dialects/languages. They claimed that a significant number of candidates from outside the state either did not join or opted for transfers to their home states, rendering the purpose of opening BPOs in remote Nagaland villages less effective.
They mentioned that during the 2020-21 recruitment cycle, only 29 out of 55 selected candidates joined, and several of them subsequently resigned or exercised their transfer option. This trend threatened to undermine the vital services that these BPOs aimed to provide to the people of Nagaland, they cautioned.
In the light of these concerns and to better serve both the Department of Posts and the people of Nagaland, the duo urged the department to consider amending the draft model notification.
Meanwhile, they acknowledged the Ministry of Communication’s initiative to open 70 new BPOs in Nagaland under the Department of Posts.
They said these BPOs were expected to bring essential banking and postal services closer to remote villages of the state, a commendable step towards rural development.
Appreciating the commitment of the Ministry of Communication and the department concerned to enhancing postal services in Nagaland, they stressed that the amendment to the notification would further contribute to the success of this noble endeavour.