SMU graduates worry after RCSC and ECB turns down their degrees

With more than three months gone since the government agreed to intervene on their behalf, Sikkim Manipal University (SMU) graduates are worried they may not be able to sit for the civil service common examination this year.

For the past year or more SMU graduates have been running from pillar to post ever since their degrees were considered distance learning after SMU announced it was such an institute, which means it is not recognized while applying for government jobs or to join politics.

Recently a group of SMU graduates even filed a petition to the Gyalpoi Zimpon’s office.

“We are worried we may not be able to sit for RCSC this year as the Prelim Examination is in August,” one of the graduates, Kuenzang Thinley, said.

Their main issue is that, ECB and RCSC has an objection on their sitting for the RCSC exam and for election with the degree certificate from SMU.

The said that RCSC and ECB being constitutional bodies did not consider the issue despite government’s intervention and therefore the government could be of no help to them.

“Whenever we apply for any post they defame our certificate and therefore there are cases where our friends are applying for class XII vacancy post due to problem with degree certificate,” Kunzang Thinley said.

He said that during the first appeal to Lyonchhen on June 15, Lyonchhen directed the education minister to make a quick decision whereby they heard that those who graduated from SMU as of 2018 would be accepted.

But when they did not get any response from the ministry they followed up and found that the ministry did not sign on the decision and they were told that they cannot help them with this issue.

“Upon approaching Lyonchhen he said that he tried every way, however, ECB and RCSC are not in agreement to the earlier decision and therefore they are helpless,” he said.

The second reason Lyonchhen gave was on chances of being charged by ACC and the Opposition party.

“We expected a lot from government because education minister himself agreed that we have attended a regular classes. Lyonchhen also said that the government was not aware of such issue and they will accept every SMU graduate,” he said.

A 28-year-old 2012 graduate from B.B. Pradhan College in Kalimpong, who is currently working in Phuentsholing, said recently he applied for a vacancy in capital and sent all documents including experience certificate.

He was asked to come for an interview but when he was about to leave for Thimphu he got a call saying they can’t take him because of the SMU certificate issue and even the ministry was not ready to accept the certificate.

Dechen a 2016 graduate said she went for an interview whereby she was asked to leave the room after a lot of questions about the college and the SMU issue in the country.

“Government (DAHE) itself was not aware of such issue whereby we as an individual are hampered today and when we ask for help and support, we feel that they are the ones who are against us,” he said. “We expected a lot but nothing happened and at one time a senior official we approached asked us not to expect much.”

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