SHILLONG, MAY 11: The reappointment of retired officials to honorary posts in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Secretariat has drawn sharp criticism from the Hynniewtrep Youths’ Council (HYC), which said the practice undermines prospects for the state’s educated unemployed youth.
Responding to office orders issued on March 26 and May 5, 2026, that placed retired personnel as Adviser (Rules Committee) and Senior Nazir, HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem said the Council was strongly objecting to the trend of bringing back former staff while young job seekers continue to wait for openings.
“The appointments of retired officials have once again raised public concern regarding the continued practice of re-engaging retired personnel while thousands of educated unemployed youths in Meghalaya continue to struggle for employment opportunities,” the HYC said in a statement on Monday.
Synrem argued that such decisions send a discouraging signal at a time when government institutions should be creating space for new recruitment and career progression.
“The repeated engagement of retired individuals blocks opportunities for fresh recruitment, promotion, and institutional growth,” he said.
The Council questioned whether the posts genuinely required retired officials and if eligible serving employees or qualified youth had been considered.
“Public institutions, especially constitutional bodies like the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, must uphold transparency, accountability, and equal opportunity in all appointments,” the statement read.
Warning of a wider impact, the HYC said the pattern of post-retirement engagements could entrench a system where openings stay limited to a select group.
“The growing trend of post-retirement appointments in government offices risks creating a culture where opportunities remain concentrated among a few individuals while deserving youth continue to remain neglected,” it said.
The Council called for an immediate review of the recent appointments and urged the Assembly Secretariat to make public the process and rationale behind them.
It also pressed for a clear policy to govern post-retirement engagements and for greater priority to serving staff and qualified local youth in future hiring.
“The HYC reiterates that Meghalaya’s youth deserve fair access to employment opportunities and that public institutions must act in the larger interest of the people, especially the younger generation who represent the future of the State,” Synrem said.
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