“Taking reference of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) pertaining to the subject matter on October 26, 2023, between the ANSAM and the Government of Manipur and the assurance committed by the convener of the Naga Legislators’ Forum, Minister Awangbow Newmai and a representative of the state government, the office of the ANSAM strongly questions the failure on the part of the government of not fulfilling their promise by not declaring the result for the assistant professors recruitment and partial internet restoration (only in district headquarters) of Senapati, Tamenglong, Chandel and Ukhrul districts of Manipur”, the Naga student body fumed.

According to the ANSAM, the interview process for 190 (145+45 – Special ST Drive) posts of assistant professors was completed in the month of November 2021 which is clearly mentioned in the Urgent Letter by the Director of Higher Education vide letter no. 3/3116/2018UHE (Vol VII) dated November 25, 2021.

“It categorically clarifies that approval for result declaration was sought from the Department of Personnel. However, it has been more than 2 years since then and the result for the same is being kept on a complete halt thereby depriving the appeared candidates of their fundamental rights and defeating their strong and vibrant aspirations,” the Naga student body pointed out.

It is also pertinent to mention that the economic blockade launched by the Naga student body in retaliation to the “state government’s deliberate defiance of agreements” signed on October 26, 2023, was amicably suspended for the time being following an assurance given to The ANSAM and its units by Minister Awangbow Newmai, as the convener of Naga Legislators’ Forum and representative of the state government, in an urgent meeting held between the ANSAM, its executive council, its units, and the representative of the Naga Legislators’ Forum held at the ANSAM Secretariat in Senapati on November 9, 2023.

“Now, the assured deadline of four to five days from the day of the urgent meeting for declaring the said result and restoration of internet connectivity in all the “peace areas of the Nagas” not affected by the ongoing violence has lapsed and the government and the department concerned are remaining mum on it particularly to the demand for declaration of result for recruitment of assistant professors 190(145+45 ST Special Drive) posts”, the Naga student body added.

The ANSAM then said it “considers the inactiveness” of the government in declaring the result of the assistant professors recruitment a complete mockery on their part as far as the betterment of the Higher Education sector in the state is concerned and failure of restoration of internet connectivity in all the “peace areas” not affected by violence as assured in the meeting is a “blatant lie” to the association. The Naga student body also “considers such lackadaisical attitude of the current government an absolute negation to the hallmark of Welfarism”. The ANSAM further said the assurance committed by the sole state representative to the ANSAM and its units is a “blatant lie” and total disregard and betrayal with the “only apex Naga students body” and its units in Manipur.

The ANSAM then said that, in exercise with the support and endorsement to the befitting resolutions adopted in the meeting pertaining to the legitimate demands of the ANSAM following the assurance committed by the state government, the association has decided to launch agitations of all kinds failing to fulfill the demands and resume any mode of agitations from November 27, 2023, and the state government “shall be responsible for any unwanted incidents during the course of the agitation”.