DESAM demands removal of BSEM chairman
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, August 02 2024:
Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has demanded immediate removal of Board of Secondary Education (BSEM) chairman Akham Joykumar alleging malpractice and misconduct.
Addressing a press meet at DESAM's office here on Friday, secretary general Nongthombam Thoithoiba said that the state government has been protecting the wrongdoers in the Education Department for a long time.
He said that DESAM had identified that one such wrongdoer to the media on May 16 .
But the government is yet to take any action despite providing evidence of BSEM chairman Akham Joykumar flouting the rules.
He continued that Joykumar had appointed five people on contract basis without adhering to standard norms.
Of the five, four were appointed to the post of LDAs, while one was appointed as driver.
No advertisement Was published for recruitment of the five posts, which raises suspicion that the BSEM chairman made the appointments misusing his position.
Stating that BSEM is not a body set up to serve the interests of handful of individuals, Thoithoiba said that it is an institution run by intellectuals.
BSEM's constitution also clearly states that no appointment or policy programme can be taken up without the approval of the Board.
The state government acted as if it does not take the DESAM's allegations seriously and formed a three-member inquiry committee on May 20, with the Education (S) commissioner as the chairman, joint secretary (in-charge of BOSEM) as member secretary and Education (S-V) additional director as the member.
The Committee was provided nine terms of reference point to look into the administrative/financial/academic irregularities of BSEM and instructed to submit a report within 20 days of the first meeting.
It was directed not to make any major policy/financial decision with the approval of BSEM chairman and Education (S) secretary during the inquiry period.
The secretary of BSEM was also directed to extend full cooperation to ensure smooth functioning of the Committee.
However, the inquiry remains incomplete even after two months.
This shows that either the top leaders of the government had set up the Committee to save their own people or that the Committee members have failed to understand their responsibilities.
Thoithoiba continued that BSEM chairman Joykumar, during his term as the secretary in 2018, was accused of tampering with the marks of the top 10 HSCLE toppers, for which an inquiry was initiated against him (Joykumar) and the then Controller of Examinations.
A 300-page report was submitted to the government in this regard by a three-member inquiry committee at the time, following which both of them were removed from their posts and made to return to their respective college and school.
However, the state government has failed to punish the same person who is accused of being involved in numerous crimes and under scrutiny of several inquiry committees.
Instead, he is being awarded with post for which he is not worthy of.
If we are to end corruption and ensure development of the state, there is need on the part of government put into action the system of awarding those on the side of the truth and punishing the wrongdoers.
Elected representatives should strive to stand on the side of the truth and try to win the votes of the poor and the vulnerable instead of covering up the wrongdoers for the sake of some 5-10 votes, he remarked.
Thoithoiba urged authority concerned to take immediate action against those engaging in wrongdoing in BSEM as per the facts and figures presented by DESAM, instead of waiting for the inquiry report, which would only take more time and money.
This will enable the people to respect the elected leaders, he said, while urging members of the inquiry committee not to be influenced by "requests" and incorrect political decisions.
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