KSA condemns threats over opposition to new MTU VC
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 30 2021: Kangleipak Students' Association (KSA) has strongly condemned the threats being made against its members after the students' body voiced its opposition to the appointment of new Vice Chancellor of Manipur Technical University (MTU) by the state government.

In a statement released to the press by its secretary (publicity) Toijam Ranakumar Meitei on Thursday, KSA recounted that it had publicised how many non-Manipuris applied for the post of Assistant Professor of MTU, which was in violation of the general terms and conditions.

It had also stated that the state government made a bad decision by appointing the incumbent VC of MTU, Tongbram Bhaveswar and demanded his resignation on moral ground.

The statement continued: "However,, instead of trying to understand and reflecting on the statements made, a person who identified himself as member of a proscribed outfit came to KSA's office and threatened its volunteers against making any statements related to the incumbent VC".

Strongly condemning such threat, it raised suspicions if the said person was sent over by the VC himself.

"VC Tongbram Bhaveswar should understand that the volunteers of KSA would not be scared off by such cowardly tactic," the secretary asserted while stating that the VC would be held responsible if any unwanted incidents were to befall upon the volunteers of KSA.

Reiterating its previous affirmations regarding MTU, KSA said: "The notification for recruitment of Assistant Professors of MTU was uploaded on the university website on February 8, 2021 along with the general terms and conditions, one of which specified that the candidate must have knowledge of any tribal dialect of Manipur and should be a permanent resident of the state.

"However, many MTU officials, in violation of the specified rules, allowed non-locals to apply for the post.

When the issue was raised, the MTU office replied that the situation came about after the mandatory All-India advertisement provision, laid down in Point 3 of UGC Regulation, 2018.The question here is if a state university like MTU is allowing non-locals to apply, why was there a need to include the criteria of permanent residency in the general terms and conditions.

DMU also specified the criteria for permanent residency and did not allow non-locals to apply for the post of Assistant Professorships.

Thus, KSA will be taking a close look into the lack of a uniform system in the two state universities of the state.

"Meanwhile, the incumbent MTU VC should resign on moral ground as he was appointed to the post due to a confusion in UGC Regulation, 2018.Even though he fulfilled the required 10 years of administrative experience to hold the VC post, his appointment would not be good for the university in the long term.

"The incumbent VC used to be an Associate Professor in Government Polytechnic College but was deputed to the Controller of Technical Education as a deputy director.

As per UGC Regulation, 2010, a candidate for the post of VC should possess 10 years of academic experience in a university as a professor or equivalent position in academic administrative organisation.

The UGC Regulation was amended in 2018 and the criteria for equivalent position was replaced with administrative experience.

Taking this point, there are many qualified officers in Education (S) & (U), who fulfil the criteria.

All of this is making a mockery of Higher Education," the students' body remarked.

Informing that it would be sending a letter to UGC to rectify the amended Regulation, KSA urged the chief minister and the education minister to look into the matter as well.

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