Even as the ethnic crisis in Manipur refuse to go away leading to disruption in education sector with charges of lack of access and denial flying around, the state has come up with a blow-by-blow account of what it has done so far to restore normalcy in the educational sector especially among those displaced by the strife.
A release from the Department of Higher and Technical Education, GoM stated that the government has been taking up several initiatives to mitigate the hardships faced by displaced students because of the violent conflict.
The department informed that, at the school level, a Nodal Officer for each relief camp was designated from June, 2023 onwards to look after all needs of the students in relief camps and more than 98 per cent of displaced students have been re-admitted to nearby feasible schools.
Attendance in schools is continuously being monitored through a control room set up at the Directorate of Education-S, Manipur and text books, notebooks, stationery, sports kits, etc. have been provided to the displaced students, it stated.
To facilitate admission of students in new schools, the state government has empowered Deputy Commissioners to issue provisional migration certificates. Further, Deputy Commissioners have been advised to facilitate students in applying for migration certificates while the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur has allowed online application and issue of migration certificates.
Board and Council have been advised to issue certificates, marksheets, etc. through DigiLocker for ease of access to the students as well as to minimise time taken in verification of certificates which they have been doing. Moreover, on the request made by the state government, CBSE has allowed the CBSE affiliated schools in Manipur to accept the provisional Migration Certificates issued by Deputy Commissioners for taking admission in these schools, the department said.
The state government has also waived the requirement of Transfer Certificate or No Objection Certificate from the previous school of a displaced student for seeking admission in BoSEM/ CoHSEM affiliated schools in the state. It has allowed change to an optional subject available in the school where admission is taken in respect of students seeking admission in classes IX-XII. Further, the last date for registration of students in the Board and Council has been extended to make up for the delay in shifting.
Alternative mode of teaching learning is being provided through Radio Class, “LAI RIK” mobile App, youtube channel, PM e-vidya where digital classes for classes I to XII are also being provided through local cable networks.
As for Dhanamanjuri University (DMU), semester end examinations were successfully conducted in physical mode through respective Deputy Commissioners wherein reading materials are being given too.
Burnt/lost documents, be it migration certificate/ mark sheets, are being issued through friends and fellow students. Those pending will be dispatched through Deputy Commissioners, the government said.
Since the beginning of the new session, a separate time-table for online classes has been arranged. The government also stated that the bags/baggage or belongings left behind by displaced students are packed and stored safely for them to claim later. In respect of some students, their belongings are being sent through their friends as per their request, the government said.
The state government has allowed students belonging to constituent colleges of Dhanamanjuri University to join physical classes in colleges convenient to them as a temporary arrangement.
For Central government institutions, the state government has requested the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India to take up necessary action for allowing the reportedly displaced students to study as requested for the semesters from NITs, or wherever they are currently located so as to enable them to resume their educational and professional pursuits without undue disturbances.
Director (NIT), Manipur, Lamphelpat, Imphal has also been informed about the same to take up necessary action. Meanwhile, NIT has allowed these students to study online and examinations have also been allowed in the districts of students themselves.
Moreover, to facilitate easier transfer/migration of reportedly displaced students hailing from the affected Communities in the state, the state government has taken Initiative for an alternative arrangement/measure by requesting The Director General (ICAR), Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi110001; The Registrar, Central Agricultural University, Imphal and the Registrar (I/c), Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Amarkantak, Chhattisgarh to take up necessary action for allowing the displaced students to study from wherever they are currently located so as to enable them to resume and continue their studies.
Director, Regional Campus Manlpur, Makhan, Senapati has been intimated of the above step taken up by the Government to take up necessary action, the government said.
New computer centre within Mini Secretariat is planned and will be functioning soon for conducting online classes within Mini secretariat, Churachandpur for NIT students.
Moreover, arrangements were made in coordination with NIT Manipur for conducting exams in Churachandpur college for NIT students, the government said.
With regards to colleges affiliated to Manipur University (MU, the government said that the varsity is arranging Online facilities for continuing studies by students who are not able to attend classes physically.
Steps are being taken up by MU to arrange physical classes for UG/ PG students in Churachandpur and other hill districts also. The burnt documents of college students will be regenerated by Manipur University as and when request for the same is received from the students concerned. Students are allowed to get admission provisionally without producing the documents which happened to have been lost/damaged. They can produce the documents after regeneration, the government said.
Under Chief Minister’s College Students Rehabilitation Scheme, 2023, transfer of one student from one College to another College of his or choice is allowed and so far, 252 students have applied for transfer from Valley colleges to Hill colleges and 64 students have applied for transfer from Hill colleges to valley colleges, as per the government.
They have been allowed to admit in colleges of their choice and the updating of their new College name in the university records will be done by Manipur University shortly, the government said.
As for medical students, notification has been issued for non-displaced medical students to write their 1st year exams from November 30, 2023 in Churachandpur Medical College (CMC).
Department of Health & Family Welfare has already taken up the matter of conducting exams of 1st year MBBS and BDS in Churachandpur with the Medical Colleges and Manipur Central University and examination forms and fee have been collected in respect of students of Churachandpur Medical college and displaced students of JNIMS and Shija Academy of Health Sciences, the government said.
Moreover, the Department of Health & Family Welfare has taken up the issue of classes of the displaced medical college students with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and National Medical Council. Option of Medical College has been taken from every student and communicated to NMC for approval which is under active examination in the NMC, the government said.
In order to cater to requests of individual students, a help desk has been created in the office of respective DCs, as per the government.
