As uttar pradesh chief minister Mayawati continues with the drive of suspending police constables and officers, the questions her action raises don’t go away. Political bosses have always had a predetermined list of successful candidates. The 55 recruitment boards in the state had to decide how to play around with a selection process involving about 15 lakh young aspirants, to arrive at a list of about 22,000 ‘fortunate’ ones. Such manipulation is by no means unique to the selection of constables. It probably happens in most selection processes, especially those involving positions that do not require specialised skills. This is also the reason why students lose interest in the education process quite early and rely on unfair means like copying to clear their examinations. They and their parents know that when it comes to getting jobs, it is recommendations and money that clinch the matter, not individual capability.

In this case, too, aspirants for a constable’s position followed the ‘norm’ and paid large sums to secure a seat. A few women candidates were also reported to have been forced into doing sexual favours. Credit must be given to the erstwhile socialist government. It did not forget its commitment to social justice: SCs had to pay only half of the amounts ranging from Rs 2 to 4 lakh compared to upper caste candidates, in order to secure a berth. It is this subtle, or not-so-subtle, bias that proved the undoing of the process. Complaints were filed that there appeared to be too many Yadavs — especially from Etawah region — among those recruited for the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and police.

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