MEELAL fumes over NET question paper
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 20 2021: Strongly condemning absence of Meetei Mayek in the question paper for Manipuri subject in the National Eligibility Test (NET) examination conducted on Saturday, Meetei Eerol Eeyek Loinasillon Apunba Lup (MEELAL) has demanded the authority concerned for re-examination at the earliest.

In a statement, MEELAL said that the question paper was supposed to be printed in both Meetei Mayek and Bengali script but it was printed only in Bengali and several aspirants were left with no option to appear in the examination.

After implementation of Meetei Mayek in 2006, the script has replaced Bengali up to MA third semester.

Several aspirants were preparing for the examination in different examination centres including far off places such as Guwahati, Shillong and Churachandpur with the hope of clearing the examination to pave way for becoming college or university teachers or to get doctorate degree.

In the Manipur Official Language Act, 1979, the clause written in Bengali script has been replaced with 'written in Meetei Mayek script' on March 4, 2021.Absence of the official script of the state in Manipuri subject's question paper is a direct insult to the language, which is one of the 22 languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India.

Besides, titular king of Manipur and Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba is also pursuing the matter for getting recognition as a classicallanguage of the country.

It is unfortunate that Manipuri subject teachers of Manipur University, who were part of setting the question papers allowed such blunder to happen, the statement said while terming it as a challenge to the people of the state.

MEELAL then demanded the Centre, UGC and Manipur University to clarify the reason for the blunder within 24 hours; take up disciplinary actions against those responsible, blacklist them; declare Saturday's examination null and void; conduct another examination at the earliest; and compensate the students for their financial loss in the preparation for appearing in the examination.

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