The Kuki Students' Organization, General Headquarter, has requested the Vice Chancellor, Manipur University, to reconsider and cancel the proposed under Graduate Examination 2023 under the University, and suggested the concerned authority to promote all the affected students of the State on special case so as to prevent destitute candidates from exposing to unnecessary life risk.
In a letter to the Vice Chancellor of MU, KSO raised several questions such as the security arrangements, the safety of the students and provision for exam centres.
The letter stated that the well being and safety of students have become the need of the hour at the present time of uncertainty and continuous violence. It made firm stance that any decision taken in that time of uncertainty without the concern and knowledge of the stakeholders would be deemed null and void.
In the letter, the KSO also expressed its surprise on learning the authority's willingness to conduct the under graduate course examination 2023 amidst the current crisis. It stated that the communal riots have severely affected the functioning of every educational center in Manipur from secondary to university level, thereby affecting several students' academic progress of the displaced students that eventually jeopardized their future prospects.
In view of the prevailing situation in the state, the central government had also sent Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Education, Government of India, to study the ground reality either feasible conduct of exams or cancelation, it added.
Stating that around 70,000 to 80,000 students of different districts were going to appear the exams, the KSO asked the MU authority whether the mental conditions of the students of both hill and valley were assessed minutely.
The letter also stated that the students who were displaced and are placed in many relief camps have raised their concerns whether the authority would be able to consider safe-going to different locations to write the exam when many places are under danger zone.
"List of exam centers need to be assessed thoroughly as any untoward incident will lead to unwanted results," KSO stated; adding that if by chance exams are conducted, many students would likely to miss the exams due to dislocation of homes and belongings.
Mentioning that the duration of exams (mentioned earlier) would be more than one month, the KSO also raised question to the MU authority whether the security arrangement was done properly. The student body also asked how the university would decide the provision of exam centres since many colleges are utilized as Relief camp and accommodated for Central Security Forces.
"Instead of taking risks by the students at this questionable juncture, the promotion system will be one of the best options to exercise so as to allow the destitute candidates from exposing unnecessary life risks," KSO suggested.
Further, KSO stated that as the prevailing situation was an extraordinary circumstance beyond the control of the authority of the Manipur University, the authority should consider the request made by the students' body on humanitarian grounds.
The careers and lives of the students are utmost important and should not be neglected or subsided, it added.
The Hills Journal
K. Salbung, Churachandpur
Manipur-795128
