Special Correspondent
Ukhrul, Sept 14:
The backbone of higher education in Ukhrul—Pettigrew College—is reeling under neglect and prolonged delays in its much-needed infrastructure development. The All Hunphun Tang Association (AHTA) and Hunphun Katamnao Long (HKL), the student body, after inspecting the ongoing construction of the new academic block and 100-bed boys’ and girls’ hostels, expressed deep disappointment and urged the Governor of Manipur to intervene urgently in the larger interest of students from poor and rural families.
Speaking to the media, AHTA president Chonmi Raleng lamented the government’s “lackadaisical attitude” toward Pettigrew College—the lone government college in Ukhrul District. He revealed that the work order for the construction of the academic block and main gate was issued in December 2021 with a stipulated completion period of 18 months. Yet, despite multiple assurances, the projects remain incomplete. “The contractor even signed an MoU with us to finish the work by March 2025, but deadlines keep shifting. During the July 14 DISHA meeting, officials again promised completion by August 2025, but basic works like tiling, ceiling, and toilets are still pending,” he stated.
Currently, 1,118 students are enrolled, and due to the acute shortage of classrooms, many classes are being conducted inside the unfinished academic block. During the inspection, HKL and AHTA also highlighted glaring lapses in the hostel construction. Workers were found carrying out electrification without plastering walls and ceilings, while water leakage was already visible on the roof of the boys’ hostel. The quality of construction was strongly questioned.
Principal of Pettigrew College, Dr. Ringkahao Horam, acknowledged the challenges. “We face a shortage of teachers and classrooms. With so many students, we have no option but to conduct classes in the incomplete building. The hostels are equally crucial since many students come from far-off villages and cannot afford daily transport,” he said. At present, 140 students are crammed into old hostels while awaiting the completion of new facilities.
Documents show that the academic block and main gate project, estimated at nearly Rs. 15 crore (Rs. 14,98,15,250—Fourteen Crore Ninety-Eight Lakh Fifteen Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty), was awarded to Y. Sunil Singh of Imphal West under the Manipur Minorities and OBC Economic Development Society (MOBEDS). The boys’ and girls’ hostels, each worth Rs. 7.14 crore, were sanctioned to separate contractors. The academic block is designed to house 19 classrooms, including lecture theatres and seminar halls, across multiple wings.
Pettigrew College holds a special place in Manipur’s academic landscape. Established in 1965 and taken over by the government in 1977, it is the only NAAC-accredited College in Ukhrul. It is also among the select 10 institutions in the state offering four-year BA and BSc courses under the New Education Policy (NEP). Despite its importance, the institution continues to suffer from infrastructural neglect, impacting hundreds of first-generation learners from 156 Tangkhul villages who rely on it for affordable education.
While the administration has made efforts such as providing free transport to 30 underprivileged students, the unresolved infrastructure crisis looms large. Both AHTA and HKL have appealed for immediate intervention by the Governor and the state government to ensure timely completion of works, warning that further delays would cause irreparable harm to students’ futures.
For Ukhrul’s only government college, the stalled projects are more than construction delays—they symbolize the larger neglect of hill district education. Without swift action, the backbone of higher learning in the region risks being irreparably weakened.