Northeast Desk, 8th October: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed the alarming issue of corruption within the state’s public service sector, revealing disturbing details about bribes associated with appointments to the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC). Speaking on the matter, Sarma disclosed that investigations have unearthed bribes amounting to Rs 1.5 crore for securing APSC posts.
Reflecting on past practices, Sarma recounted an era when appointments to public service positions were often conducted in secret, bypassing due process. “Naturally, the environment has become corrupt,” he stated. Drawing from his tenure as the former education minister, he shared accounts of school inspectors confessing to paying bribes between Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh to secure their posts.
The Chief Minister explained that the corruption was so deeply rooted that officials felt compelled to engage in bribery to recoup their initial investments. “If we cannot collect bribes, how will we pay the interest?” officials would plead, highlighting the extent of the systemic corruption.
Sarma acknowledged that the corruption had shifted from a hidden issue to an openly acknowledged problem, with numerous court cases surfacing related to school appointments. He also criticized past nepotistic practices, where jobs in educational institutions were often reserved for the relatives of influential individuals.
However, Sarma expressed optimism, noting that reforms over the last five to six years have slowly started to eradicate the culture of corruption. He pointed to the ADRE examination as an example of the transparency being introduced, where candidates can now download OMR sheets and are encouraged to report discrepancies in the answer keys.
“Our government has a collective vision for proper governance,” Sarma asserted, urging the people of Assam to support the state’s efforts toward a corruption-free and progressive future.