DESAM protests
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 03 2026: Alleging school textbooks have been printed on substandard papers, members of Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) organised protest demonstration and tried to storm the office of the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BOSEM) at Babupara today.

As they tried to storm the office of the BOSEM, the members of the student body held placards and raised slogans demanding blacklisting of the firm which had supplied the alleged substandard papers.

The student protesters were, however, stopped by the police at the gate of the BOSEM office.

The police attempted to snatch the placards, and this led to a brief commotion between the security personnel and the protesters.

Alleging the use of "substandard papers" for printing textbooks of academic session 2026 is a "scam", the student protesters demanded the BOSEM and the Government to issue clarification.

DESAM president Mayengbam Somorjit Meetei said, "For several weeks, the student body has been urging the BOSEM and relevant authorities to procure and use quality papers for printing textbooks".

The student body had even submitted representations seeking the same to the Governor and the Chief Secretary on January 29, he said.

Despite the repeated and sustained appeals, Somorjit said the BOSEM authorities have procured "substandard papers" for printing textbooks.

These "substandard papers" have been stored in an "undisclosed" location by the BOSEM, he alleged.

"A high level inquiry committee must be formed to investigate the scam," Somorjit said.

The firm which has supplied the alleged substandard papers and the authorities involved must be investigated, he added.

"The Government and its relevant authorities including the BOSEM must not try to ignore and sideline this issue and wait for it to die down.

DESAM will not let this issue slide," Somorjit said.

Failure to set up an inquiry committee and take steps to blacklist the firm which has supplied the "substandard papers" will invite intense agitation, Somorjit cautioned.

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