Student bodies under ATSUM deface recruitment notice
Source: The Sangai Express / NNN

Imphal, September 29 2021: The All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM) has demanded "immediate" halt of the ongoing recruitment process of posts under Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).

"In continuation of ATSUM's representation submitted to the Hon'ble Minister, Tribal Affairs and Hills, Government of Manipur dated July 10, 2020 demanding consideration of Mother Tongue/Local Language as an essential criteria for recruitment of primary teachers in all Autonomous District Councils of Manipur, and as recommended by the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) for deferring the recruitment process till the 6 Autonomous District Council elections are held and constituted vide Resolution No.43/2021- (HAC) dated 21st September 2021, the All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) demands for immediate halt of the ongoing direct recruitment process of 750 posts including 506 posts of primary Teachers in 6 (Six) Autonomous District Councils," the apex tribal student body of Manipur said on Wednesday.

Student bodies under ATSUM deface recruitment notice

According to ATSUM, in consonance with the provisions of the Right to Education Act 2009, the National Curriculum Framework 2005 of NCERT, the New Education Policy 2020 and Article 350A of Indian Constitution which envisages facilitating Mother Tongue/Local Language of children as medium of instruction in primary schools, the tribal student body had submitted a representation to the Minister of Tribal Affairs and Hills, Government of Manipur on July 10, 2020 demanding consideration of Mother Tongue/Local Language as essential criteria for recruitment of primary teachers in all Autonomous District Councils of Manipur.

"However, the representation of the ATSUM to adhere to Constitutional provision was deliberately sidelined by the Secretariat: Hills Department, Government of Manipur," the ATSUM alleged.

It said that the State Government's decision to conduct recruitment in the absence of a popularly elected body "shows the desperate attempt of the State Government to degrade the Autonomous District Councils" .

ATSUM added, "Therefore, the State Government should immediately halt the ongoing recruitment process of 750 posts in the 6 Autonomous District Councils until and unless the ADC election is held, and knowledge of the local language/dialect of children is included as an essential criteria for recruitment of the primary teachers".

Following the call of ATSUM, its federating units stopped the recruitment process at different hill district headquarters.

KANGPOKPI: Kuki Students' Organization Sadar Hills sealed the office of Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council Kangpokpi and burnt the forms submitted at the office today.

However, it was reported that not long after the incident, Kangpokpi police opened the office and attempted to resume form submission under tight security.

The volunteers apprised the public and the aspirants that no recruitment will be done and the recruitment process has been halted by ATSUM.

They pasted pamphlets on the entry gates of the office that read, "We demand immediate conduct of ADC election", "Include local languages as essential criteria'', "Respect tribal rights' ', etc.

and a public notice informing that the office of Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council Kangpokpi and Employment Exchange office will be closed and no process-related to ADC recruitment will be taken up at any cost until the demands of ATSUM are fulfilled was put up.

The volunteers then cautioned the officials and staff of Town Employment Exchange to abstain from issuing the said forms.

Thangtinlen Haokip, general secretary KSO Sadar Hills said that the State Government failed to consider mother tongue/local language as essential criteria for recruitment of primary teachers.

He urged the State Government to translate all the memorandum of understanding inked with ATSUM into action.

Meanwhile, KSO Sadar Hills condemned Kangpokpi police for opening the sealed gates of the Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council Kangpokpi office and termed the act as a 'disrespect' to the people of Kangpokpi and the tribal populace.

A reliable source informed that a meeting between the State Government and ATSUM on the issue ended inconclusively today and another meeting has been fixed on October 8 .

CCpur: A joint students body of Churachandpur under the leadership of ATSUM seized application forms submitted by job seekers for the recruitment in ADCs.

A notice purportedly issued jointly by the student bodies said that they have seized application forms including some important files from the ADC Churachandpur office today.

The documents and files, it maintained, are in a safe hand but will not be returned until a solution is brought.

The non-consideration of ATSUM's demand for making mother tongue/local language an essential criteria for the recruitment of Primary Teachers in all Autonomous District Councils and initiating recruitment process in the absence of elected ADC members are the two reasons cited for their action.

The student bodies said that conducting the recruitment process in the absence of a popular elected body is an attempt to degrade the ADCs.

Notably, the last date for applying for various posts in the ADCs is September 30 and as tomorrow being a holiday there was a rush in submitting forms today.