Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF) goes ballistic against Manipur University
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 06 2012: Levelling a series of charges against the authority of Manipur University, the Manipuri Students' Federation has today asserted that the highest seat of learning in the State has been reduced to the status of the fiefdom of some teachers and functionaries with the VC unable to do anything about it.

Elaborating, the student body in a statement issued to the press today said that on March 28, the Registrar of MU, Prof N Lokendra issued a notification announcing the formation of a Curricular Syllabus Committee of an unnamed department.

The Dean of the School of Social Sciences of MU was named the chairperson of the Syllabus Committee of the unnamed department, said MSF and added that the HoD of Political Science was named as the Ex-officio member, the Principal of LMS Law College or a senior faculty member of the law college as member, Babloo Loitongbam as a member and a Co-ordinator-in-charge.

The notification did not say from which department or Centre the Co-ordinator-in-charge was, it said.

The following morning, that is on March 29, the Dean of School of Social Sciences, Amar Yumnam issued a notification convening a meeting of Centre for Human Rights and Duties Education on April 5 at 2 pm.

Following this, a team of MSF members led by its president met the VC on March 30 during which the VC informed that the notification issued by the Registrar on March 28 was in connection with the Centre for Human Rights and Duties Education.

Asserting that setting the syllabus for a course on human rights at the post graduate level calls for qualified persons, MSF questioned on what basis Babloo Loitongbam was included in the Committee to lay down the syllabus.

Explaining its stand, MSF said that Babloo Loitongbam heads an NGO dealing with human rights.

He has not worked in any institution/college or university recognised by the UGC or the Union Ministry of Human Resources.

Moreover he has appeared or cleared the NET exam conducted by the UGC.

Under the guidelines of the UGC, for anyone to be eligible to teach at a college or a university, passing NET or JRF or should have a PhD degree is mandatory.

Babloo Loitongbam does not fulfil any of these criteria, said MSF and questioned how someone who is not eligible to be a teacher be included in a Committee to lay down the syllabus for a course at the post graduate level.

The VC had clearly stated that this was a wrong decision and necessary rectifications ought to be made during a meeting at his office chamber, claimed MSF and added that Rajen of the Engineering cell of MU and warden of the girls' hostel of MU, Jamini are the witnesses.

However instead of rectifying it, the meeting on April 5 was announced.

Four faculty members of the Centre for Human Rights and Duties Education had also written to the VC to look into the matter on March 29, alleged MSF.

However instead of taking up any action against the meeting went ahead as scheduled on April 5, said MSF and added that whatever resolutions were adopted at the meeting would not be acceptable and added that Amar Yumnam should face the outcome.

This is not the first time that this Centre has opened a six month certificate course on human rights, said MSF and added that since the earlier syllabus asked that the students should submit a dissertation, it meant that the course had to be for at two years.

It was to rectify this that the co-ordinator in charge of the Centre submitted a file to the Dean of School of Social Sciences on September 7, 2011.Without saying yes or no to the submission, the file was released by the Dean, alleged MSF.

The student body also levelled a series of allegations against Amar Yumnam and added that in the last three years, in the absence of a student union of MU, some top functionaries of the university have acting as if the highest seat of learning is their fiefdom.

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