The Employment Exchange registration scam in Manipur involves fraudulent practices within the state’s employment exchange system. The scam primarily revolves around corrupt officials who exploits loopholes in the registration process to extort money from job seekers.
How The Scam Is Executed?
- The Network: The employment exchange department has some corrupt officials who run a network with CSCs and brokers who manage the registration process and approve the registration by collecting bribes ranging from Rs.100 to Rs.300.
- Pending Self Registration: Individuals have the option to register on the employment exchange site. But the problem is that the registration is left unapproved for a long period of time just because they have not been prioritized by the officials. So, the individuals are bound to approach the officials or CSCs (with connections) to speed up the approval on payment of money.
- Manipulation of Registration Process: Corrupt officials within the employment exchange system manipulate the registration process to favor certain individuals or groups. They bypass the standard procedures or fast-track registrations for those who pay bribes.
- Extortion of Money: Job seekers who were desperate for employment opportunities fell victim to this scam. They were coerced into paying bribes or ‘fees’ to secure placements or to expedite the processing of their applications.
- Falsification of Records: To cover their tracks, those involved in the scam might find faults in the applications submitted by non paying individuals as a pretext to disapprove the registration thereby opening a channel for them to attract the individuals to collect bribe.
- Impact on Genuine Candidates: Genuine candidates who follow the proper procedures may have to face unfair competition due to the manipulation of the registration system. This could lead to prolonged unemployment and frustration among deserving candidates.
The Employment Exchange registration scam in Manipur underscores the pervasive issue of corruption in bureaucratic systems and its detrimental impact on society, particularly on those seeking legitimate employment opportunities. Efforts to combat such scams require not only strict enforcement of laws but also systemic reforms to promote transparency and accountability in public institutions.
