Saturday, June 13, 2015

Congratulations, Sikkim!

editorial

A new batch of administrators selected, now to train and deploy them well

Given how clueless the Sikkim Public Service Commission had presented itself to be when it conducted the Under Secretary exam in embarrassing fits and starts over the past two years, it is with a certain amount of relief and dollops of glee that Sikkim received announcement of the names of candidates selected for the latest line-up of administrators for the State Civil Service. Congratulations to the successful candidates and to the State. The latest examination for the junior grade Sikkim State Civil Service and Sikkim State Police Services was first held in October 2013 only to be scrapped in the face of widespread criticism over the manner in which it was conducted and the candidates took the exam afresh in July 2014. The civil services are a much sought after profession and it is unfortunate that Sikkim’s small size does not allow for it to be held more often. Of course, if the concerned agencies were more diligent, new administrators can surely be inducted into the State Civil Service more often than the present average of a new batch every eight years. Before the July 2014 exam, the Under Secretary exams were last held in the year 2006-07 and the one before that was in 1998. Now, as Sikkim pulls out the khadas to congratulate the 25 selected to train to become Under Secretaries and the two who will soon wear Sikkim Police uniforms as DSP’s, the State should also take stock and work out how these exams can be conducted more often that the current average of one every eight years.

Friday, June 12, 2015

To College, and Beyond

The Board Exam results are out and a majority of the Sikkimese students passed with good numbers. But parents as well as students, especially +2 passed out, are worried about getting admission in colleges of their choice. Results for the CET exams conducted by the Human Resource Development Deparment are also out and counselling sessions for 25 [MBBS], 13 [BDS], 09 [B.V. Sc. & A.H], 23 [B. Sc. Forestry], 4 [B. Sc. Fisheries], 4 [B.Sc Home Science], 22 [B. Sc. Horticulture], 2 [B. Sc. Sericulture], 38 [B.Sc. Agriculture] and 1 B.Sc. Nutrition & Dietics] are going on in full swing. Among the thousands who sat for the CET exams only 141 students will get admissions on Government Scholarship in good colleges in the first phase of the counselling. Obviously, the lucky 141 are the toppers of the CET.