Fuelling the anger: What if it goes out of hand
- Imphal Times Editorial :: January 15, 2021 -

The greatest tragedy of the N. Biren Singh led government will be if the ongoing crisis in connection with the various issues of DM University goes out of hand.

The government which has been appreciated by one and all for its concern to every issue of each community and succeeded to settle every issue amicably now seems to step in the wrong unconstructive measures on the issue of the DM University by forcibly taking out two teachers of the constituent Colleges who had been serving the DM University since its establishment.

The transfer of Associate professor B. Shantikumar Sharma who is teaching English at DM College of Arts and also render similar service by teaching the same subject to post graduate student at DM University at Kha Manipur Kakching College and the repatriation of Assistant Professor Dr. A. Noni who is teaching Political Science at the same college and also to post graduate students at DM University at Moirang College at a time when the teachers on strike of the constituent colleges of DM University are having dialogue to settle the matter is nothing but an attempt to sabotage the Chief Minister’s initiative to solve the issue amicably.

The transfer of the two teachers of the DM College of Arts has fueled anger to the students as well as to the teachers’ community of the constituent colleges of DM University.

This is not just hear say or speculations , but a fact that the state had witnessed yesterday. Students of the DM College strongly denounce the transfer of the two teachers and even staged protest urging authority to revoke the transfer order.

M. Harekrishna , Commissioner of the Higher and Technical Edcation , Government of Manipur issued the two transfer and repatriation order on January 12, 2021 separately.

That was at a time when the teachers’ community who were on agitation under a committee called ‘Ad-hoc Committee of constituent Colleges of D.M.U are having dialogue with the chief minister to sort out the demands.

The demand of the teachers’ community of the said colleges is today directly related with the fate of the students who had completed post graduate course at DM University. It is about the future of those students completed post graduate at the DMU.

As the university completes its more than two years of existence, the onus lies on the authority to come out with a clear explanation on who constitutes the teaching and non-teaching staffs of DMU. In case of its failure to answer, a technical crisis over its identity would put the fate of the post-graduate courses run in the university at risk for the simple fact that no teachers have been legally assigned to deliver such an academic activity.

Another aspect of the identity crisis of DMU has reportedly come from its technical inability fulfil the criteria 12 (B) of the NAAC.

The crisis is seemingly large because NAAC in its proposed assessment is to treat the institute (DMU) not as a college but as a University.

For instance, under the provisions of 12 (B), any institute applying for NAAC accreditation needs to submit a list of its teaching faculties.

The tragedy is that DMU as a university that has no list of such approved teachers. Since DMU cannot fulfil the 12 (B) requirements, the status of DMU as a full-fledged University to be recognised by University Grants Commission is for sure to have procedural complications.

The repercussions have been more significantly felt by the poor students of the university while accessing their rightful scholarships under UGC.

Considering these facts, the students as well as the teachers are not going to be silent. And if this issue spread far and wide, it will be a black scar to the N. Biren Singh government, which get praising from not only the people of the state but from outside the state.

Remember , his government was honoured as the best government by the India today group for his skill in restoring peace and harmony in the society.

People today are expecting a better Manipur under an able leader which of course we have at present. Let’s stop pouring salt the wound.