SSUM demands accountability from VC and Registrar over alleged recruitment scam at MU

The Socialist Students’ Union of Manipur has accused the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of Manipur University of presiding over what it termed a “major recruitment scandal” involving nepotism and abuse of authority in the recent non-teaching staff appointments.
In a press statement issued by its Publicity and Information Secretary, S. Inaoyaima Singh, the student body alleged that the premier institution, regarded as a centre for human resource development in the state, has been repeatedly mired in controversies due to arbitrary and unethical administrative practices. The union stated that despite several allegations surfacing in recent years, no meaningful inquiry or disciplinary action has been initiated against those responsible.
The latest controversy, according to SSUM, centres on the recruitment of non-teaching staff, where it alleged that close relatives of senior officials and members of influential sections within the university community were selected. The union claimed that Irungbam Joshua, identified as a relative of Vice-Chancellor Prof. N. Lokendra, and Achom Nelson, stated to be related to Registrar Moirangthem Premjit, were among those selected. It further alleged that several other appointees are children or close family members of faculty members and staff currently serving in the university.
The union questioned how Registrar Premjit could chair the Selection Committee when his own relative was allegedly a candidate in the recruitment process, terming it a serious conflict of interest. It also listed multiple instances where candidates selected for posts such as Junior Stenographer, Junior Assistant and Multi-Tasking Staff were allegedly related to serving employees, faculty members or former office bearers of the university staff association.
In addition, SSUM alleged that individuals connected to members of the Screening Committee and those assigned responsibilities in conducting the examination were also selected, raising further concerns about transparency and procedural fairness.
The union contended that such concentration of appointments within a limited number of families has deprived many qualified and deserving candidates from the broader community of fair employment opportunities. It stated that the university, instead of functioning as a public institution serving the larger society, was being reduced to a network benefiting select groups.
The student body also demanded that the recruitment notice issued on February 2, 2026, and any associated fee collection from applicants be immediately halted. It called for a thorough and impartial inquiry into the entire recruitment process and sought accountability from the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar for what it described as administrative misconduct.
SSUM warned that failure to address the allegations transparently would further erode public trust in the institution and harm its academic credibility.