Turmoil and shut down of MU
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: August 08, 2014 -

It came like a thunderbolt from the blue. It was nothing less than gross abuse of power when Manipur University authority (sic the Vice Chancellor, Registrar and the Assistant Registrar) issued a notification asking all the hostellers to vacate their hostel rooms by 4 pm of August 6 apart from suspending all theory as well as practical classes.

To say the least, the notice was arbitrary, irrational and smacked of sheer authoritarianism. MU authority, by evicting the helpless hostellers using police force, was imposing some sort of martial law.

Being the head of the university’s administrative body, the Vice Chancellor is expected to have some skill in crisis management. But there was not even a crisis this time.

It was only a mild agitation by a small group of students. But the MU authority came up with the wild and bizarre idea of keeping all classes suspended and force out all hostellers.

It was this stupid notice which transformed the mild agitation into a serious crisis overnight.

The crisis engulfing Manipur University at present is a creation of the MU authority and they were victimizing hundreds of innocent students, forcing them to sleep in the open. This is unfair.

Protests, agitation, dharnas etc are something that happen from time to time at many educational institutions, particularly higher educational institutions and universities.

But those at the helm of affairs in Manipur University only displayed sheer inefficacy, immaturity and insensitivity during this particular episode.

How could they overlook the fact that many of the students belong to far off, remote corners of the State.

It would be a real tragedy if the police crackdown on the agitating students was unleashed at the command of the MU authority.

Democratic civil space of the State’s highest seat of learning must be kept sacrosanct.

How could one justify closure of the whole university just because a group of students have some grievances?

By adopting militaristic approach, the MU authority only exposed their unfitness for their jobs. Crisis management should be an integral part of running a big institution like Manipur University.

But the MU authority’s performance on this front is rather disappointing.

As for the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Amendment Act 2012 which perhaps is central to all the turmoil paralysing Manipur University, it should be examined from all perspectives keeping in view the State’s bulk of tribal population.

The amendment says if seats reserved for Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes in a central educational institution exceed 50 per cent of the annual strength permitted, the institution need not make any reservation for OBCs.

According to the amendment, if such an institution is located in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Assam’s tribal areas, the percentage of seats reserved for SC/ST candidates will not be reduced from the level obtaining on the date immediately preceding the date of the Act’s commencement.

Now the question at Manipur University is not about reduction but raising the number of seats.

The demand for 31 per cent seat reservation for ST at Manipur University sounds logical enough considering the demographic profile of Manipur.

Yes, there is a big debate going on across the country on quota and quota system.

This is another thing. If, after all, any quota system should be followed, it should be fair enough to all communities and all sections of the society.