Lamka Joint Students' Body Urges CBSE to Reconsider Disaffiliation of 26 Schools in Churachandpur, Kangpokpi Districts

The Joint Students' Body, Lamka, has appealed to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for reversal of its decision to disaffiliate 26 Schools in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi Districts of Manipur.

In a letter addressed to the CBSE Chairman on Friday, the Joint Students' Body, Lamka, stated that the recent de-affiliation of 26 schools from different hill districts of the state by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), under pressure and influence from the State Government, was most regretful; and vowed that all actions and measures would be taken to reverse the unjust de-affiliation.

Since the outbreak of communal violence in the state, several schools in the districts of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi had applied for CBSE affiliation and were granted by the CBSE. However, affiliations were later withdrawn on the ground that it was on the basis of the No Objection Certificates which were said to be void ab-initio, as the NOC purportedly submitted were not issued by the authorised functionaries of the Government of Manipur.

The letter stated that once communal violence in the state began, it had become practically and virtually impossible to approach the head office of the Education Department of Manipur which is situated in Imphal Valley District (Meitei inhabited area) for issuance of No Objection Certificate (NOC) and at the same time, JSB was indeed aware of the necessity for submitting the same along with the applications for affiliation with the CBSE.

In Chapter 1.3.25 of the Affiliation bye-laws, 2018 of the CBSE, it is provided that "No Objection Certificate" means a letter issued by the Education Department of the State/Union Territory in respect of a School situated in the State/Union Territory for affiliation of the school to CBSE. In this regard, the students' body said it is of the considered opinion that the Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) in every district of Manipur, being the head of the Education Department, is the authorised functionary of the State Government in the respect of the concerned district and accordingly approached the office for issuance of the said N.O.C.

Given the ongoing civil war and the discriminatory treatment to which the students of the hill districts have been subjected, the Joint Students' Body noted that the best example was the unjust treatment of Rayburn College students, Lamka by Manipur University (MU) whereby student was given zero marks in certain subjects. It felt that there is no alternative other than affiliation with central boards and universities.

JSB, Lamka, appealed to all concerned decision makers to reverse the unjust decision so as to let prevail a better sense and that in doing so, the future of thousands of students would be prevented from jeopardy.