Implement NEP in higher education: DESAM
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 26 2025: Urging the government to make it clear within a week whether the four-year BA/BSc programme would be implemented or not, the Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has urged for the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in higher education.

In a press meet held at DESAM's office in Kwakeithel on Saturday, DESAM secretary general N Thoithoiba said that the Higher and Technical Education department is in shambles.

No college and subject have been identified for offering honours with research and honours in the last year of a four-year BA/BSc programme.

Thus, he demanded the government to make it clear within a week whether or not the key guidelines of NEP-2020 will be implemented, failing which DESAM, along with students and the people, will launch intense agitations.

He continued that DESAM has been repeatedly urging the department to make it clear whether it would be able to include the fourth year or not, but no action has been taken up till date.

As such, the chief secretary and the commissioner must take full responsibility for any fallout.

Mentioning the declaration of HSE examination results on Friday, Thoithoiba said that the admission process in colleges would likely begin within the next two weeks.

The four-year degree course under NEP would be beneficial for students while pursuing masters and conducting research.

However, the government has not yet introduced the same in government colleges and is ignoring the ordinance prepared by Manipur University.

This is both unfortunate and detrimental for the students, while at the same time disregards NEP 2020, he remarked.

He recounted that when DESAM visited the directorate and secretariat regarding the matter, during which the officials told that the matter is around 99 per cent completed.

However, this response has been repeated for over a year and there is no update on the remaining one per cent.

This is truly a response of incompetent offices who do not want to work for the people.

In addition, the requests to MPSC to recruit teachers for government colleges are over two years old.

However, no recruitment drives have been held, and there is no subject-rationalisation or any attempts made to address the above issues.

This indicates that the government is not keen on educating the people or allowing any research but rather interested in suppressing the people.

DESAM will never tolerate such attempts, he said, while adding that it would work along with the people to bring and ensure a proper education system.

Thoithoiba continued that it was initially believed that the education system of the state failed due to the corruption of politicians.

However, at present, the President's Rule has been imposed in the state and the politicians are no longer in power but narrow-minded, self-centred and greedy officers.

Thus, he urged the Governor and chief secretary to appoint competent and honest officers who would work together with teachers to guide the future pillars of the society and see to effective implementation of NEP 2020 .

India cannot develop without the development of Manipur, he contended.

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