College students rally to demand education
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 09 2011:
With the ongoing ceasework strike of the College teachers taking a heavy toll on their academic career, college students in Manipur today took out a rally demanding an amicable solution between the Government and FECTAM and allow the students to have normal classes.
Organised under the aegis of Co-ordination Committee of Colleges Students' Union, the rally was taken out from TG Higher Secondary School at around 2 pm today.
The students were proceeding ahead with the intention of submitting a memorandum to the Governor and the Chief Minister, when the police stopped them from moving ahead.
Nonetheless, some selected student representatives were allowed to go and submit their memorandum to the Governor and the Chief Minister.
The memorandum demanded the resumption of classes which have remained affected on account of the college teachers' strike over their demand for implementing revised UGC pay scale.
The student rallyists expressed apprehension that their syllabus may not be covered in time if the ongoing agitation of the college teachers continue and the present impasse between the Government and FECTAM is not resolved.
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Meanwhile, Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has appealed to the Government to bring about a solution with the agitating FECTAM to save the academic career of the students.
The student body has also warned of taking recourse to agitation if the Government fails to resolve the present impasse.
Addressing a press conference in this connection at its office here today, secretary general of DESAM M Angamba Meitei observed that the Government should stop its habit of not listening to the demands of the students until they take recourse to agitation.
Pointing out that under the banner of FECTAM, college teachers in Manipur started their ceasework strike over the demand for implementing the revised UGC Pay scale since August 1, Angamba observed that the ceasework strike has taken a heavy toll on the academic career of the students.
The student body has also appealed to the agitating college teachers to take up other form of agitation in pursuance of their demand so that the academic calendar is not disturbed.
Angamba expressed concern that with introduction of semester system, pass percentage of the students even in reputed colleges of Manipur has recorded low mainly on account inability to complete the syllabus in time following frequent strikes and bandhs.
In such a situation, prolonged ceasework strike of the college teachers would affect the academic career of the students even more.
Assistant general secretary of DESAM A Thoithoi, who was also present during the press conference, categorically stated that the Government as well as the striking teachers should be held responsible if the career of the students is wasted.