Stop recruitment process of Govt college Principals: ATSUM
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, January 11 2019:
Asserting that the notification issued by Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) on January 8 pertaining to recruitment of Government college Principals is a direct affront to the tribal community of Manipur, the All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) said that the concerned department should immediately roll back the recruitment process or "be prepared to face the storm of angst that is building up".
According to the ATSUM, it had enunciated its "serious misgiving" when a notification for recruitment of the 13 backlog posts of Government college Principals was issued on November 14, 2018 on the ground that there will be serious attempts to usurp the 7 posts meant for the hill colleges and the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community.
The ATSUM further said that the notification had mentioned that out of the 13 posts to be "recruited, 7 seats are to be for the ST, 2 seats for unreserved categories, 3 seats for OBC Meitei and 1 seat for OBC Meitei-pangal.
"It should be noted that 11 principal posts had already been recruited by MPSC during the early part of 2018 wherein all the selected candidates belong to the Meitei community," the ATSUM pointed out.
"Our fear has come true as only one ST candidate could make the cut, out of the 11 shortlisted candidates eligible to sit in the interview.
Now, it can be assumed that the 6 remaining ST posts would be declared unreserved seats and given to those persons who fit the description.
This is the crux of ATSUM dissatisfaction," the apex tribal student body said.
It then claimed that, from the "fag-end of 2017 ATSUM had ardently appealed to the concerned authority to respect the reservation policy of the State Government and make necessary changes so that the recruitment process could be more inclusive, integrative and accommodative to all communities living in Manipur, but as things stand as of now the time-honoured reservation policy has been thrown to the wind, and thus making the tribal people redundant" .
The ATSUM then alleged by saying, "Again, rules are framed in such a manner that the reserved seats meant for the ST people are beyond their reach so as to make way for the general community" .
"Like a colossus, since its inception, the ATSUM has been unrelentingly standing for the protection of its people and their rights and had never failed to voice its indignation over the repeated attempts to infringe upon the reservation policy but the rapacious attitude of the general community bolstered by their political and strategic advantage had, many a time, kept the ATSUM at an awkward situation," the tribal student body also alleged, adding, "But we will protect the tribal people from external elements inimical to the interest of the tribal people, and that, we are not going to flinch when the situation is demanded of us" .
It then said that it is not happy with the "stark disparity" over the distribution of the educational institutions and manpower between the valley and the hill districts of Manipur.
"For instance, there are 28 (twenty eight) colleges in the valley districts whereas the hill districts are gifted with only 7 (seven) colleges.
The ratio of differences is 4:1 in favour of the valley people.
Out of the seven hill colleges, three colleges are without science stream.
Out of the ten hill districts, four districts are yet to have college whereas every valley district is endowed with at least four colleges.
When it comes to man power, 90% of the assistant/associate professors serving in Government colleges are from the valley people whereas the hill people constitute a pittance", the ATSUM further pointed out.
The ATSUM then alleged, "The fact that there is only one tribal Principal in the 59 higher secondary schools in Manipur, whereas, there are five ZEOs from the Meitei community out of the ten ZEO posts meant for the hill districts, is something that needs serious pondering" .
It then said, "Living together will find little meaning if the valley people do not stop their habit of trying to grab whatever that is deserved by the hill people" .
According to the tribal student body, fraternity will become a reality only when there is equitable distribution of the State's income, wealth, resources, jobs, sops and largesse.
"So, in the fitness of things, the sanctity of the ST reservation policy should not be diluted under any circumstance, and as such, the ATSUM demands rollback of the recruitment of Government college Principals.
Any attempt to usurp the seven ST seats will invite serious repercussion," the apex tribal student body warned.