New Delhi, November 13 2008: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and Education Minister L Jayantakumar Singh on Wednesday met the Union Minister for Human Resources Development Arjun Singh at Shastri Bhawan here to relay the assurance of the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh made the previous day for opening a centre of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University in Manipur.

The meeting lasted for about 10 minutes.

In the evening at 4 today at Shastri Bhawan here; Education Minister L Jayantakumar Singh, Tribal Development Minister DD Thaisii and student leaders had an hour long discussion with the Union Secretary (Higher Education) RP Agrawal assisted by two Joint Secretaries for formulation of the proposed Manipur campus of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh.

The Union Secretary (Higher Education) informed the Manipur Ministers that the matter regarding the opening of a Regional Centre of the University in Manipur had been communicated the Vice Chancellor of the University.

An expert group consisting of the representatives of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi and Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi had been formed for preparation of Detailed Project Reports of the proposed Centre in Manipur.

RP Agrawal also communicated to them to send a high level team comprising representatives from the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University to Manipur very soon to see the suitable location of the Centre.

The Secretary asked the Manipur representatives to find out a suitable location of the area of 500 to 700 acres.

He informed them that the appointment of faculty staff of the Centre would be done on the basis of the all-India norm and as for the admission of the students; it would be based on the ethnic composition of the State.

At the same point of time, the Ministry would also look into whether the reservation of the STs in the Manipur University was fully observed under the existing norm or not by sending a team from the Ministry, he added.

Tribal Development Minister DD Thaisii said here today that the opening of the regional centre of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University would give a good opportunity not only to the tribal people of the region but also to the general people in learning different subjects in the University.

The Minister further stated that the proposed regional centre in Manipur would be the first campus of the University.

The Union Secretary told them that the Ministry has received many proposals from different States for opening of the branches of the University in their respective States, he added.

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