Tribal Students Stage Protest In Manipur Over Educational Negligence By Government

Imphal, Nov 11 (IANS): Thousands of students including those who are pursuing professional courses on Saturday organised a protest rally in Manipur's Churachandpur to protest against "educational negligence" by the state government.

The Joint Student Body (JSB) organised the rally against the discrimination of students belonging to the Kuki-Zo community allegedly by the Manipur government.

The rally was attended by thousands of students from various private and government colleges and schools of the district displaced medical, engineering, nursing and other professional courses students alleged that they are unable to continue their studies as the government failed to make alternative arrangements for them.

The, students displaced due to over six months long ethnic violence, are demanding an alternative arrangement to nearby states from the government so that they may be able to continue their studies.

The agitating students claimed that their counterpart students in Imphal are taking classes without any problem and participating in semester examinations.

The students highlight their other issues, including, burning of documents, certificates, properties, study materials and their belongings. The students were also demanding the resumption of online examination through the CDS Infotech Online Examination which was made to discontinue after the violence broke out on May 3.

The JSB sent a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighting their demands and problems faced by them.

The JSB also demanded establishment of a Central University in Churachandpur District, establishment of technical and other higher educational institutes in the hill districts, disbursal of funds and benefits under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and other Ministries for tribal empowerment to organisations based in the hill districts and headed by tribals.