NHRC urged to intervene in DMU crisis
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, July 15 2024:
Youth Forum for Protection of Human Rights (YFPHR) secretary T Sadishkanta has filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) regarding the ongoing stalemate in Dhanamanjuri University proposing intervention from the commission to address violation of rights of the students.
In his complaint, Sadishkanta said that the state university, established under The Dhanamanjuri University Act, 2017 and formalised on April 6, 2018, was developed under the National Scheme of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA).
The university comprises DM College of Science, DM College of Arts, DM College of Commerce, GP Women's College, and LMS Law College, offering 34 courses including 12 subjects in the science stream and one professional course, serving approximately 10,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Since July 9, 2024, students of Dhanamanjuri University have been on a hunger strike demanding appointment of regular staff and key officials, including vice-chancellor, registrar, and controller of examinations, to protest administrative delays and disruptions.
The 1st and 3rd semester examinations for MA and MSc, scheduled for December 2023, are yet to be conducted, similar to the uncertainty on conduct of 3rd and 4th semester examinations for BA and BSc.
The University has also not conducted the 3rd semester examinations for MA and MSc, with classes for the 4th semester yet to commence.
Despite the delays, the university plans to conduct both the 3rd and 4th semester examinations for MA and MSc students by August 2024 without having conducted any 4th semester classes, the complaint said.
On July 14, 2024, the registrar of Dhanamanjuri University issued a press statement explaining that certain semester examinations were conducted online in 2023 due to the prevailing law and order situation in the state.
The statement clarified that online examinations are not the standard norm for assessing students, and based on this experience, it is necessary to ensure the integrity of assessments.
The university has sought approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC) to conduct future examinations online, and a response is awaited.
Such a statement is in stark contrast to the students' demands, as evidenced by the banners displayed during their protests.
Manipur University, located few kilometres from Dhanamanjuri University, has already commenced the 2nd and 4th semester examinations for MA, MSc, and LLM, which are expected to be completed soon.
The complainant underscored that the right to higher education is an affirmative obligation of the state, and the government must ensure access to education at all levels.
India, as a party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, enacted the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, under which the NHRC was established to protect human rights.
Section 12 (a) of the Protection of Human Rights Act mandates the NHRC to inquire, suo moto or on a petition, into complaints of human rights violations by a public servant, the complaint highlighted.
He further contended that gross negligence by the authorities of Dhanamanjuri University has resulted in violation of the human rights of students who appeared for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), leaving their academic futures in quandary.
The negligence has caused mental agony, shock, harassment, and the potential loss of an academic year for all students.
Therefore, the YFPHR seeks the NHRC's intervention to ensure the protection of the students' human rights, mentioned the complaint.
Sadishkanta also urged the NHRC to direct the vice-chancellor and registrar of Dhanamanjuri University to compensate each student with Rs 1 lakh.
He also requested the NHRC's Investigation Division to conduct an inquiry to hold accountable those responsible for the students' suffering and to take any other action deemed fit to protect the students' human rights.
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