IGNTU students intensify stir
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, July 25 2017: Agitating students of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University-Regional Campus Manipur at Makhan in Kangpokpi district intensified its ongoing stir by organizing a massive protest rally and sit-in yesterday against the non fulfilment of its various demands .

The student community had shut down the National Tribal University since July 10 under the aegis of the university student body IGNTUSU-RCM supported and endorsed by ATSUM, KSO and other student bodies while it had also ceased all construction works inside the university campus.

The protest rally which began at Kanglatongbi proceeded towards the university amidt the slogans, "We want immediate construction of hostel, staff quarters, regular facilities for the Department of Tribal Studies and Sociology, Vice Chancellor to solve the long standing issues immediately or step down on moral ground, etc", and held a sit-in- protest in front of the University main entrance gate .

The protest rally and sit-in was participated by Kuki Students' Organization, Sadar Hills, Hmar Students' Association-Imphal Joint Headquarters (HSA-IJHQ), Chothe Students' Association (CSA), Tribal Students Union, DM College of Arts, Manipur University Tribal Students' Union (MUTSU), Liangmai Students' Union (LNKR), Makhan Students Union (MSU), Thadou Students' Association, Sadar Hills (TSA-SH), Zeliangrong Students' Union Manipur (ZSUM) and PRJA Education Cell .

IGNTU students intensify stir

The protesting students also held placards which read, "No Solution No Rest, No Teacher No Class", "Education is our right, we want proper facilities", "Save tribal students of Manipur", "Management Committee, Where are you?", "Director, where is your authority ?", "Prof Kattimani stop playing politics, Stop playing anti-tribal activities", etc .

Khazi Bapna, president IGNTUSU-RCM said that the student bodies are constrained to directly bring forward various issues of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University- Regional Campus Manipur that need to be addressed and solved with utmost urgency .

He said that construction works for crucial infrastructures such as hostels and staff quarters should be initiated immediately keeping in mind the location and distance of the campus from the main urban area and added that it is a matter of serious concern to note the high degree of negligence of the University.

The student leader further said that the pending appointment of regular teaching staff for the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology and Department of Tribal Studies should be solved immediately since these two departments have been functioning without any permanent staff for more than 4 years now with 6 guest faculties who have been ceaselessly working for the development of the two departments since their inception in 2013 and doing all the works required of permanent faculties inspite of numerous difficulties and limitations .

He further said that adequate teaching and non-teaching staff as per UGC norms for all existing departments and regularization of all contractual non-teaching staff of the Campus should be ensured at the earliest .

So far a huge majority of the non-teaching staff have been engaged purely on temporary basis with contracts valid for only 84 days and all getting paid below Rs 10,000 per month, he said and added as such, it is pertinent to inquire whether these engagements follow UGC norms .

The university students have been demanding the physical presence of the Vice-Chancellor at the campus to give concrete assurance followed by positive action, Khazi Bapna said while adding that numerous requests have been sent to the Vice-Chancellor in this regard but no positive response has been received till today .

He also said that a joint representation of IGNTUSU-RCM and ATSUM has also been submitted to the Human Resource Development Minister on July 18 requesting him to impress upon the Vice-Chancellor and University authorities of the urgent need of their response and appropriate interventions to solve the current imbroglio at the campus.