From MU, NSU to IGNTU : Students at the centre
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: June 08 2018 -

Students. They are central to the three issues which must be disturbing the Government no end now and not without reason.

One obviously is the course of action taken up by DESAM on the ground that the National Sports University should not exist merely for name’s sake and towards this end have put forward the demand that no off campus centres of the NSU should be functional until the mother campus, which is the NSU at Manipur, is fully established.

This obviously makes sense, for how can off campus centres be made to function fully when the mother campus is yet to fully open.

Another is the demand raised by the Manipur University Students’ Union that the Vice Chancellor should be told to pack up and leave as he is not in station for most of the time, leaving the functioning of the varsity to officials who have been appointed on part time basis.

Again this makes sense, for how can a university function under part time officials ?

And another is the agitation launched by students of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Regional Campus Manipur (IGNTU-RCM) which has led to the closure of the varsity for over a month now.

In all the three cases, students are at the centre stage. What however is clear is that the cases go far beyond students and envelop the whole of the State.

The National Sports University is a gift to Manipur, earned through the excellent showings put up by the sportspersons at the National and international fora in different disciplines and it is only right that extended campuses should not start functioning until and unless the mother campus starts functioning.

In other words all the important disciplines/subjects should stay at the mother campus.

It is good that Chief Minister N Biren has taken due note of the voice raised by DESAM and it is hoped that things are taken to its logical conclusion.

The point raised by Manipur University Students’ Union too should be taken note of.

True Manipur University does not come under the State Government, but the issue that the students have raised is important and crucial to the smooth functioning of a varsity and if the VC is away most of the time, then how can one expect the university to run smoothly ?

Moreover all the administrative heads of the university are believed to be appointed on part time basis and this is where corrective measures need to be taken up immediately.

One here is talking about the highest seat of learning in the State and surely Manipur cannot afford to have its university existing only in name’s sake.

Unfortunate it is that it has taken the students to rise to the occasion and resort to class shut down to let their grievances be heard.

What is the stand of the teaching faculty on the point raised by the students ?

No one obviously expects the teaching faculty to air their stand openly, but yet at the same time it is significant to note that it has been left to the students to take up such an issue.

Address the issue and settle it soon for what one is talking about here is the future of thousands of students.

As for the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, it is note worthy that the Hill Areas Committee of the State Assembly has taken note of the issue.