IT News
Imphal, June 8:
The All Manipur Muslim Students’ Organisation (AMMSO) wrote to the UGC secretary and the Member Secretary of AICTE in protest against the appointment of Bhabeswar Tongbram as Vice-Chancellor of Manipur Technical University, claiming that he is not eligible or fit for the position.
In a press release, AMMSO stated that the continued appointment of Dr. Bhabeshwar Tongbram as VC of MTU despite continuous submission of memorandums to the Government of Manipur is a clear example of corruption in the education sector, contradicting Biren Singh 2.0’s corruption-free slogan.
The AMMSO cited the most recent UGC regulation, dated July 18, 2018, section 7.3 for vice-chancellor qualification. AMMSO stipulated that the VC be a distinguished academician with at least ten years of experience as a professor. He should also have a minimum of eight research publications in journals approved by the UGC, AICTE, and SCI. Tongbram Bhabeswar, the newly appointed VC, did not meet any of the criteria for the position of VC of Manipur Technical University. He has been employed as a Lecturer at the government polytechnic institute in Takyel since 1991, and later as an Associate Professor at the same Diploma Institute. The AMMSO stated that there is a significant difference between engineering degree colleges and diploma institutes, as well as differences in service statuses. And he has never held the position of professor. Tongbram Bhabeswar received a Ph.D. in non-engineering subject from Manipur University’s History department on the topic of Manipur’s traditional housing and architecture.
AMMSO further said that it is a huge surprise that a person who is ineligible to be the principal in charge of a diploma institute has been appointed as the vice-chancellor of a degree college. He had previously been removed as Principal of Government Polytechnic because he was unfit for the position.
Kh. Dilson, AMMSO’s HRD Secretary, furthermore stated that agitations will begin tomorrow if the government fails to remove Bhabeswar as VC of MTU.