Editor,
While the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) has successfully conducted several recruitment examinations and viva-voce processes outlined in its 2026 Examination Calendar, one critical process-the Assistant Professor viva-voce under the Education Department-continues to face inexplicable delays. According to the official APPSC Programme of Examination 2026 (No. APPSC/Exam Calendar/2024 dated 22 December 2025), the Assistant Professor viva-voce was tentatively scheduled for April 2026. However, as of mid-July 2026, there is no clarity on the exact dates or progress, even as many other recruitments, including those for Junior Engineers, Post Graduate Teachers, and various technical posts, have moved forward on schedule or with minor adjustments.

The Suffering of Genuine Aspirants

This is the silent struggle that every genuine aspirant from a humble background understands. Those who have inherited wealth or financial security may never truly comprehend what a delayed or cancelled examination means to us. For many, an examination is just a date on a calendar. For us, it is the difference between hope and despair. A candidate from a financially secure family may see another month or another year as a minor inconvenience. But for an aspirant from a poor family, every additional month means another month of rent that parents struggle to pay, another month of borrowed money, and another month of sacrificing basic comforts just to keep a dream alive.

The saddest part is that our voices often go unheard. We speak, we appeal, we protest, yet it feels as though no one is listening. Those entrusted with safeguarding our future remain silent, while many others watch as mere spectators to our suffering. We do not ask for sympathy. We ask for timely action. We seek only what every sincere aspirant deserves: a transparent, reliable, and efficient process that respects not just our time but also the sacrifices, hopes, and dignity of every family that stands behind us.

Impact on Colleges and Students

The delay is particularly alarming as colleges in Arunachal Pradesh have commenced the new academic semester, including the implementation of the seventh semester under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Several undergraduate programmes are already running with faculty shortages. The absence of timely recruitment of Assistant Professors is adversely affecting teaching quality, research guidance, and the overall academic environment in higher educational institutions.

Questions over the Delay

Many candidates are raising serious questions about the Commission’s priorities. While viva-voce for other posts, such as Junior Specialists (Health), Post Graduate Teachers, and various Group A and Group B technical positions, have either been completed or are progressing, the Assistant Professor recruitment appears to be lingering indefinitely. This selective pace has led to growing suspicions of deliberate delay, which is demoralising meritorious candidates.

The APPSC notification had clearly laid down the criteria based on API scores. Candidates, many of whom hold PhDs, NET/SET qualifications, and published research papers, have been waiting patiently for their opportunity to appear before the interview board. The continued postponement raises concerns about transparency and fairness in the recruitment process.

Appeal to the Chairman

It is high time that the APPSC Chairman and Secretary intervened decisively. The Commission must immediately:

  • Publish the API-based shortlist of eligible candidates.
  • Announce a firm schedule for the Assistant Professor viva-voce.
  • Ensure that the entire process is completed at the earliest so that selected candidates can join colleges before the next academic session gathers pace.

The state’s higher education sector cannot afford further delays. With the implementation of the NEP gaining momentum, the timely recruitment of qualified Assistant Professors is essential to strengthen faculty positions and deliver quality education to the youth of Arunachal Pradesh. The APPSC, known for conducting fair and timely recruitments in the past, must live up to its reputation and put an end to the avoidable delay in this vital academic recruitment. Candidates with excellent academic and research backgrounds deserve their rightful opportunity without further procrastination.

The concerned authorities are urged to treat this matter with the utmost priority in the larger interest of higher education in the state.

Concerned Aspirant