Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, September 13:
With a funds crunch halting nearly all development work in the educational institutions coming under the state government and prohibiting appointment of new teachers, the directorate of education (U) is being forced to exercise rationalization in distribution of subjects and teachers of government colleges and consolidation of infrastructure.
According to senior officials in the directorate, because of the financial crunch the state government has not been able to sanction adequate funds for educational institutions during the last two or three years, as a result of which all major development work has come to a halt.
The only development works being currently pursued are those funded under centrally sponsored schemes.
Among others is the construction of classrooms and procurement of computers with an amount of Rs 2.5 crores released from the non-lapsable central pool of resources for higher education in the state.
Hostels are also being constructed for the Ideal Girls College and the DM College of Commerce under a scheme sponsored by the MOBC.
Additional director, education (U) T Manglem Singh, speaking to IFP, said to improve the quality of higher education in the state, adequate buildings and classrooms needed to be constructed and the requirement of science and laboratory equipment, computers, audio-visual teaching aids and basic furniture, as well as library books and journals had to be met.
Manglem also informed that the present state administration has already instituted a task force to look into the problems faced by higher education in the state.
The task force, chaired by the secretary, education (U), has been tasked with examining the functioning of colleges and university, looking into the possibility of downsizing in higher education, raising college fees, and to expedite the implementation of all centrally sponsored schemes but manpower is still a major problem in the department.
As per records there are at present 28 government colleges and seven aided colleges, apart from 35 private colleges.
The sanctioned strength of lecturers in the government colleges is 1310, while the actual requirement, as per the Manipur University and University Grants commission norms is 1980.With the state government having imposed a ban on fresh recruitment, the gap is being met with the help of part-time lecturers.
Altogether 488 part-time lecturers are currently working in government colleges at present, at a consolidated pay of Rs 2200 per annum.
The part-timers' service have been continuously utilized by extending their contracts from time to time, but after March 31, 2001, there have been no extension.
Even so, because of the shortage of lecturers, the part-timers have continued to take classes for the past eight months, without pay and without any assurance as to their final fate.
Most part-timers are hanging on die hope of ultimate regularization of their services, but at the moment their survival is on hand-to-mouth basis.
They have been pressing for enhancing their meager pay, particularly for those who have served for six years and above.