Student bodies demand transparency, accountability
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 22 2024: Six student bodies have urged the education minister to ensure efficient performance of his duties and issue clarification to the people on the ongoing issues at DM University.

Addressing media persons at AIMS' Kwakeithel office, here, on Monday, Hijam Roshan, representing the student bodies, acknowledged the recent efforts to appoint regular registrar and declare the recruitment of results of teaching and non-teaching staff, albeit belatedly.

However, he highlighted that discrepancies have surfaced in the results declared.

Roshan explained that during Prof N Rajmohan's tenure as VC of DM University, recruitment notifications for 88 assistant professors were issued on December 19, 2022 with results announced on February 29, 2022, barring the Zoology department.

However, the government invalidated these results due to absence of DP approval.

Following protests by the students, revised results were published on July 18, 2024, including most names from the initial list, except for Physics and Botany departments, he recounted, adding that a notification stated that interviews for these departments would be re-conducted, leading to alleged victimisation of previously selected candidates.

Roshan further mentioned that the reason for re-conducting the interviews in respect of Botany and Physics departments was due to the absence of marks in the tabulation by the subject experts, indicating that the original tabulation documents may have been lost.

Such lapses could potentially be deliberate actions by certain individuals, warranting formation of a commission of inquiry to investigate the matter.

According to him, university documents should be securely held by the Registrar s office.

He also pointed out that issues in DM University escalated due to former registrar, Nivedita Lairenlakpam, being a bureaucratic officer, allegedly not dedicating sufficient time to university affairs.

He stressed that she cannot evade accountability for her mistakes and should publicly explain her absence from the syndicate meeting as claimed by herself.

Furthermore, Roshan criticised the decision to increase the total number of posts of assistant professor by 60, despite already issuing notifications for 88 positions and announcing results, which he deemed unjust.

He highlighted lack of clarity over how these additional positions were allocated and whether the reservation system was followed, arguing that this put new candidates in a disadvantageous position.

The student community, he said, views this matter seriously.

Roshan added that the education minister should not remain silent on these issues, as his silence could imply complicity.

He urged the minister to take decisive action, fulfil his responsibilities and provide clarity to the public on the matter.

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