Two students expelled for 'unfair means' during Class XII exam; Mob attack COHSEM team at Lilong
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 21 2015 : Peeved over the act of Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (COHSEM) officials who allegedly detained two students and disallowed them from writing their papers of the Class XII exams conducted by COHSEM today at Lilong Haoreibi College centre, students appearing for the exams at the centre dismantled eight vehicles of the COHSEM flying squad including those of the Council's Chairman, Secretary and SDO of Lilong.

According to reports, one student of the centre was sent out after he was caught red handed using unfair means while another candidate was sent out for 'sitting too close' to a fellow student on the same bench.

At the same time, a Govt order issued today by the Dy Secy, (Higher and Technical Education Dept) declared Lilong Haoreibi College as 'blacklisted' and barred it as an exam centre for all exams conducted by COHSEM for five year with effect immediately from the conclusion of the ongoing Council exams as immediate punitive action for the mob violence resulting in the damage of a number of Govt vehicles.

The vehicles which were attacked by the mob

The college has been declared 'blacklisted' in view of the illegal, unlawful and undesired acts against officials of COHSEM who took up action against the recalcitrant students.

The mob severely damaged a number of Govt vehicles including that of the Chairman, the Govt order said.

The order further warned all other colleges functioning as exam centres of COHSEM to ensure strict discipline as required by the Council and submit reports of any unlawful or illegal acts by the candidates appearing in the exams to the Council for appropriate action failing which the officers in-charge of the exam centre will be held responsible for dereliction of duty and accordingly liable to disciplinary action.

At around 12.15 noon, a few minutes after the day's papers (Chemistry and Political Science) were over, angry students appearing at Lilong Haoreibi College centre started protesting the move of the COHSEM officials in expelling the two students.

The situation was brought under control after the arrival of a large number of Thoubal district police personnel led by the SP .

The students today were demanding the resignation of the Council Chairman and Principal of the college.

They also resorted to attacking the vehicles of the COHSEM flying squad.

Windshields of eight vehicles including that of the Chairman's security escort which were parked inside the college campus were damaged.

Soon after the students turned violent, a team of Lilong police led by the SDPO and OC rushed to the spot to control the situation.

The tense situation subsided only after the arrival of additional police force led by the SP (Thoubal) at around 1 pm.

The agitating students also pelted stones towards the police and media persons who went there to cover the incident.

The vehicles which were damaged during the violence included a Bolero jeep of COHSEM Chairman (MN01-W-9081), the Secretary's Scorpio jeep (MN01-W-5252), official Maruti Gypsy of Lilong SDO/SDM (MN06-L- 6770), the Chairman's security escort vehicle (MN1A-4935), a Maruti van (MN01X- 9072), a Bolero jeep (MN01X-1507), a Maruti 800 (MN06L- 2778), a Wagon R car (MN06L- 3280) and an Alto car (MN04A-0164) .

Meanwhile, speaking to media persons inside the college campus today, Ferib Khan, president of All Manipur Muslim Students' Organization while condemning the violent incident said it was very unfortunate that such an incident occured at the centre.

Exam centres in Lilong area have been having bad reputations for rampant use of unfair means during exams since some years back, Ferib said.

As a move to check rampant unfair means at the centres and with the attempt to bring in quality education in the area, a committee to monitor the conduct of exams was formed jointly by local clubs and organisations this year, he added.

From the first day of the Class X and XII examinations the committee has been keeping a strict vigil against the use of unfair means, he said.

Today, a team of COHSEM led by its chairman and secretary came to the Lilong Haoreibi College centre.

The team caught red-handed one candidate using unfair means at the centre.

Soon after, another candidate was sent out for 'sitting too close to another student,' Khan said.

On learning the matter, the local committee members approached the COHSEM observer and secretary pleading to allow the student who was detained for 'sitting close' to another student.

The secretary examined whether the student, who was accused of sitting too close to another student was copying from the student next to him.

After ascertaining that the student was not copying from his benchmate, the secretary approached the Chairman seeking his approval to allow the second student to continue writing his exam which the Chairman flatly refused, Khan further said.

The students, after finishing their papers, formed a mob and ransacked the vehicles of the officials, he said.