Imphal, Oct 26: Tribal students’ body who had been opposing the resolution of the August 8 MU Academic Council meeting resolution on reservation of students today took the protest at various hill district head quarters.
Meanwhile, All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) had submitted a memorandum to the president of India, who is also a Visitor to the Manipur University pleading immediate intervention on the ongoing imbroglio in admission at various courses to the Manipur University.
August 8 meeting of the Academic Council of the Manipur University had resolved to adopt the reservation norms of the Central Educational Institution (CEI) 2006 Act. Tribal students bodies including ATSUM, ANSAM and KSO have been demanding immediate revocation of the resolution adopted by the Academic Council meeting of August 8 and has been demanding implementation of the amended CEI, Act of 2012.
On the other hand another group of students of the Manipur University has been urging the MU authority for adoption of the central University norms and to comply the August 8 Academic Council meeting.
Following the impasse Tribal students had even left the campus to protest the adoption of the CEI 2006 Act. The imbroglio occurred days after retirement of VC Prof Nandakumar and in-charge VC who were put on the hot chair were forced to resign until another VC in charge Prof Amar Yumnam was given charge 4 days back. Academic atmosphere in the Manipur University was put to complete halt with students engaging in violent protest even to the course of burning the University’s infrastructures.
Soon after Prof. Amar Yumnam was handed over the charge of VC, he immediately announce to begin admission process from yesterday and to complete the process within a week. There were much protest from the tribal students but Prof. Amar Yumanm stick to his stand as academic career is considered more important than dealing with the interest of various students’ group.
Amidst the development the president of India had appointed Prof AP Pandey as the new Vice Chancellor of Manipur University. An order in the regard was sent to the registrar of the Manipur University by the Union HRD Ministry.
The appointment of new VC for the MU did not stop the agitating tribal students and the protest was taken at various hill district. At Ukhrul district the Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) the student body of Tangkhul stage a protest demonstration calling the implementation of central reservation norm to the Manipur University as discriminatory. Similar protests were staged at Senapati district head quarter, Chandel, Tamenglong and Churachandpur.