In our State, the representatives of the people who have got the power to rule and the bureaucrats who help those men in power to run the Government has a common character between them. The character in them is that while making a decision, while framing a rule, their conscience are not guided by reason, not guided by true moral judgement.

Their actions are governed only by that which will look good and well in their personal interest. It seems that neither the former control the latter nor the latter advise the former in the matter of policy making.

In a rather harsh decision taken by the present Government, the services of 466 part time lecturers in the Government colleges of Manipur have been terminated. Most of the lecturers have been in the service for more than 10/15 years.

The vocal argument of the Government supporting the decision is that it is following the guidelines of the Supreme Court and the norms and instructions of the UGC in the Recruitment Rules of the College and University teachers.

Yes, rules do change with the change of times. There were times when a third class MA and even a BA could become a college lecturer. Now the essential qualification of a college lecturer is either a Doctorate Degree, or an M Phil or a JRF or a NET after the MA Degree.

Now, in the present case of the terminated 466 part time lecturers, the observation of a common man like me is that they were appointed by the successive Governments that came before the present SPF Government to meet the acute shortage of college teachers during that time.

At the time of their appointments a proper screening was done by a screening committee and approved the eligible ones as college lecturers with the Recruiting Rules of that time.

If they were confirmed as regular lecturer at that time through MPSC or through a DPC as done to some part time lecturer, there will be no such hype about the qualifications of the lecturers, about norms and guidelines of the UGC or Apex Court. But the lecturers were kept waiting and waiting.

When the daily wages of a wage earner was Rs 50 a day, the part time lecturers were engaged at lump sump amount of Rs 1000 per month. Then it was revised at Rs 2200.

Now it is fixed at Rs 4500, a remuneration which is about the half of the total monthly emolument of the Grade IV employee of their respective colleges. What will they do with this paltry amount when the price of essential commodities are sky high these days.

It is a biological truth beyond doubt that the part time lecturers also feel hungry as we do when stomachs are empty. The have also got hearts under their ribs which feel the cool and warm breeze of the modern way of living. They also want to lead a respectable life as fruit of their long labour of learning. They also want their children to admit in good schools as done by others.

About the directives of the Apex Court and instructions from the UGC, the authority has repeatedly pointed out this to justify their action. Here the first and foremost importance about rule and law is that it is made by man for the welfare of man.

Above all education is a state subject and adjustments can be made by the State concerned looking at the local problems. In a haste, the Govt seems in earnest and eager to implement court directives and UGC guidelines in the appointment of college tea-chers.

Then, where is the attention of the Govt diverted while there are also directives to regularise the services of adhoc and similar case of employee if vacancies are available. And there are also directives from the court to pay at least the minimum basic pay to the lecturers.

And with this there are impression and hesitations that the vulture eyes of the Govt begin to fall on the neck of the part time lecturers because they were appointed by a previous Govt. The authorities are too busy to think that with the services of the part time lecturers the academic atmosphere and calendar of the colleges are kept intact at least upto the present moment.

The bone that had struck in the throat has been pulled out. Is it the turn of the wolf to crush the head of the crane? Or the lamb has to die to-day because his forefathers had dirtied the water of the stream in which the wolf has to drink?

It is another gross violation of human right. The Govt has to arrange an alternative means of employment either in Higher Secondary or Graduate level of appointment if the terminated lecturers are not fit in the present RR of College teacher.

Teachers are builder of nation.

But some section of teachers in our State while engaging in building the State, which means the building of the nation, are left to starve or wallow in poverty.

One can easily guess the type of quality education in the State if the teachers are subjected to such a fate. Can we hope to get the best and the brightest students from the schools of Manipur while the teachers feel very insecure about their profession and about the future of their lives.

Will the society, specially the students' body be silent spectators while their institutions are reduced to ashes and are deprived of their formal classes and mostly when there is an attempt to take the bread out of the mouth of their teachers?