Imphal, May 30: A group of students and civil society representatives today staged protest demonstration in front of Manipur University A-Block against any move to violate the reservation norms for ST/SC/OBCs in the University provided under the provision of the University Grant Commission (UGC). A demonstrator while speaking to media persons said that as per the reservation policy of the UGC, the seat reserved for the Scheduled Caste (SC) is 15%, for Scheduled Tribe (ST) is 7.5% and for Other Backward Classes (OBC) is 27%. The reservation norm was followed from 2009 to 2013 but in 2014 -15 academic session, the then registrar of the Manipur University Prof. L. Lokendro change the reservation norms declaring the location of the Manipur University as Tribal Inhabited area. In tribal inhabited area the reservation norms can be adjusted at 31% for the ST flowing that reservation for the SC has been reduced to 2% and for OBC it was reduced to 17%.
Questioning whether the University is located at tribal inhabited area or enforce the 6th Scheduled, the student demonstrators asked on what ground the academic council of the university is going to increase the seat reservation for ST to 31 %.
He further added that there is state seat reserved in the University and how could the MU Academic Council violate the UGC norms in order to appease some section of Tribal students.
1 comment
It is the right step to protest against such injustice met out against SC and OBC which represent largest population group in the state. Kudos to the Meitei Students’ Association and other civil societies. Why UGs groups and government sided with divisive so call tribal student organizations? Such reverse discrimination is one reason for disintegration in Manipur. A new mechanism is required so that all can have fair level playing field without any form of discrimination.