You are the District Magistrate in a district. There is a strong political influence in your district and the ruling party is extremely powerful there. The political party interferes in the day to day administration of the district and makes it very difficult for you to work independently. Very recently, an interview is to take place for the post of Anganwadi workers. Before the day of the interview, the local MLA comes to you and gives you a list of candidates’ names that you must select in the interview. You know very well that if you do not listen to him, he is going to transfer you the very next day.
You conduct the interview and you find that the recommended candidates are of very inferior quality and are not at all eligible for selection. Rather, there were many other eligible and talented candidates who really deserved the post. What would you do in such a scenario? Would you select the recommended candidates and secure your tenure? Or would you select the eligible ones and bear the consequences?
Analysis:
This is a very common scenario in today’s administration. There is a lack of transparency in most of the selection procedure in interviews for various jobs. This in turn has made our system inefficient eventually and needs an immediate and strict monitoring.
The post being mentioned here is that of the Anganwadi workers. Anganwadi workers are the caretakers of pregnant mothers, lactating mothers, child health, etc. in a district. For selecting a candidate for such a responsible post, it is very important to check the background, educational qualifications and knowledge of the candidate. They must have a proper knowledge about the medicines and proper care taking because they are further accountable for the lives of thousands of pregnant women and infants.
A big reason for high maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate in the country is lack of proper knowledge regarding pregnancy and post pregnancy. And Anganwadi workers are the agents to promote the right knowledge. Therefore your selection is going to have serious implications on the society.
In case if I choose my own benefit, I stake the lives of so many children and their mothers. Not in this lone case but in any job selection or any other interview, only the eligible candidates must be selected because they will determine the future of the state and eventually the country. No threat of career should be able to influence my ethics and my responsibility. As a public servant, my role is to take care of the well being of the society and not my personal benefit. Eligible candidates will perform better, and hence will help in the development of the society.