Cabinet approves recruitment of 436 assistant professors
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 26 2023: Education minister Th Basanta Kumar Singh revealed that the state cabinet has approved recruitment of 436 posts of assistant professors to make up shortage of teachers in government colleges.

Announcing the government's decision at DIPR auditorium, here, on Thursday, Th Basanta said that as the education department is facing acute shortage of teachers particularly in government colleges, the government decided to recruit 436 posts of assistant professors through Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) to address the shortage.

Regarding non-declaration of result for recruitment of 190 posts of assistant professors on contract basis for which DPC had already been conducted, the minister said that the posts are to be recruited through MPSC, which have certain rules and guidelines.

MPSC was non-functional at one point of time but revived now and made functional.

Teachers are recruited after conduct of proper DPC through.

MPSC for the sake of students and future generation, he said, adding that result of the DPC for recruitment of 190 assistant professor posts including 45 reserved seats is being delayed due to re-checking and to ensure that there is no lapse.

He further said that recruitment of 436 posts of assistant professors approved by the state cabinet also include 190 posts of assistant professors.

According to Basanta, the state government has taken up various measures for the displaced students ever since the crisis erupted on May 3 and around 98.28 percent of the displaced students have been admitted to nearby schools/colleges free of cost.

He also said that 'No School Bag Day' will be stopped and classes will be conducted on Saturday as well to cover the syllabus while winter vacation will be shortened.

Classes from 1 to 8 reopened from July 5 while higher classes resumed from August 10, he said, adding that as on October 23, attendance in schools was 77 per cent.

Identity cards have been issued to displaced students and both the Board of Secondary Education of Manipur and Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur are coordinating in retrieving documents and certificates that were destroyed during the violence, the minister said.

Basanta also said the government was seriously considering restoration of mobile internet services soon.

"The government is willing to restore mobile internet services within a Couple of days.

Inputs have been taken from security agencies too," he added.

Of the total 4,617 government schools in the state, relief camps were opened in 140 schools to shelter displaced people.

Within 10 days of outbreak of the violence, the education department appointed one nodal officer each for schools opening relief camps to look into problems of displaced students.

The department also opened a control room through which all nodal officers could coordinate for the welfare of displaced students.

A total of 15,915 displaced students staying in 347 relief camps were registered and 15,641 students have been admitted to nearby schools and even provided uniform, stationery items, textbooks and exercise books.

Apart from this, CM's College Students Rehabilitation Scheme 2023 has been launched to ensure free admission, one time rehabilitation grant and free smart phone to facilitate distant learning for the displaced college students.

Meanwhile, a committee named 'Committee for guiding on the path of development in Education' with commissioner (education) as the chairman has been formed to ensure normal academic activities for the students.

The Education Department has also developed alternative modes of teaching-learning methods to facilitate the displaced students living in relief camps.

A proposal to facilitate these students access all the educational facilities has already been submitted to the Ministry of Education, Basanta disclosed.

While stating that the government is leaving no stone unturned to taclde all the issues related to admission and rehabilitation of the displaced students, he informed media persons that 26 schools out of the total 4617 in Manipur are yet to re-open as they are either being utilized as relief camps, used for accommodation of CAPF or due to its location in sensitive area.

Out of these 26 closed schools, 18 are in Churachandpur district, three in Imphal East, three in Jiribam and one each in Kangpokpi and Chandel districts.

There is cent per cent opening of schools in Imphal West district, he added.

Highlighting the activities undertaken by the government for the displaced students, minister Basanta Kumar said that an educational TV channel called 'Lairik' started functioning on Jio TV to provide e-learning content free of cost while a Radio play (drama) based on academic curriculum called 'Radio Class' is being aired by AIR, Imphal.

A mobile app called 'LAIRIK' is also available on the playstore that provides more than 1300 video e-contents.

He also mentioned that a proposal for supplementary financial support to the displaced students has been submitted to the Ministry of Education containing provisions for tablets, white board, textbooks, notebooks, stationery items, supplementary books, sports items, first aid kits and uniforms.

Commissioner (education) H Gyan Prakash, director (education-S) L Nandakumar Singh and additional director (education-U) P Shantikumar Singh also attended the press conference.

Comment