Schools are fine, colleges are not; that's where the focus should be

Thangkhanlal Ngaihte *

The last decade of the last century may be the most turbulent decade for Manipur yet in its history as a full-fledged state. Three major ethnic conflagrations, viz. Naga-Kuki, Meitei-Pangal Muslim and Kuki-Zomi happened during this decade. In their wake, most major communities found it necessary to create their own militant groups, if only for their own ethnic security from surrounding communities.

Governance broke down. Most government offices ceased to function as also many schools in the hill areas. The finances of the government collapsed. Recruitments were freezed so job opportunities in the government dry up. No replacements were made for those who retire.

The existing government employees were constantly harassed for extortion by militant groups of all shades. It was under these circumstances that many young people fled the state. Only those who could not afford to run stayed back. Many homes become empty of youngsters. Colleges became empty or were turned into army encampments. Migration from other Northeastern states also happened, but Manipur was exceptional.

Struggling under adverse circumstances, many of these youngsters eventually shine in various fields. Today, there is hardly any government office in Delhi where a Manipuri or two is not working. In the two Parliament of India secretariats, there are close to 60 people from Manipur working, a huge majority of them from the hills. For comparison, there are, I think, two people from Mizoram while there's no one from Nagaland.

The Assamese-Bodo MP, Biswajit Daimary often said that he repeatedly used this example to exhort his fellow Bodos, none of whom apparently were there yet. The thriving migrant community, however, generally do not assimilate to the local culture. They keep to themselves, tribe or community-wise, build their own churches and set up their cultural and social institutions, just like they have back home. In the process, as Sanjoy Hazarika records in his latest book, Strangers No More , the Northeast turned from a major "migrant-receiving region" to "became a migrant-producing area for perhaps the first time in centuries."

Overtime, the continuing in-migration to mainland India, the relative prosperity exhibited by the Northeast migrants and their visible cultural differences provoked hostility and resentment from the locals. By the end of the first decade of the new century, cases of racist attacks on Northeast-looking people in mainland metropolises like Delhi and Bangalore became common.

The killing of Nido Tania, a 20-year Arunachali student in Delhi in January 2014 represents a watershed in this racist hostility. Meanwhile, back home in Manipur and elsewhere, things start to slowly grind back to normal. In the hilly areas, all the major militant groups came under ceasefire arrangements with the government. In the valley areas too, things become relatively quiet, militancy-wise.

Essential provisions like electricity began to improve after the metering system was overhauled. The Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) became active. Regular recruitments to state services began to be held. Teaching opportunities at the school level multiplies. The government also starts to recruit lecturers and assistant professors for higher secondary and college level education respectively through MPSC.

Many competent people, some of them already in service at the central government or prestigious PSUs, found themselves recruited on their own merit, without paying bribes. The mixture of these two factors, namely, the improvement of life and opportunities at home and the social hostility they face in the mainland, along with the general longing to be back home have now convinced many youngsters to comtemplate returning to their home-state.

Many of these youngsters were sent away with fervent advice to forget Manipur - "where only money talk" - for the time being, set their sight outside and take up jobs in whatever capacity. But it is not possible to forget home. Catering to this longing, some people make a profitable business transporting out local products, especially delicacies like ngari, yongcha, tuibuk, gawtuaithu.

As they contemplate to return home, words of caution came aplenty: Are you sure this is the right move? You can never predict how things will turn out in Manipur. You have to come ready to adjust to the demands and ground-reality of the situation, etc. For those who have already settled outside with their families with secure jobs, this is not an easy decision to make. But if given a fair chance, they are ready to take the leap of faith.

It may yet be too early to judge, but the initiatives taken by the new government to expedite infrastructure development, the crackdown on bandh culture, digitization of records for transparency, crackdown on fake appointments and double employment, especially in the education department, etc. gives rise to hope. The recent appointment of around 230 assistant professors for the state's colleges through direct MPSC recruitment have the potential to transform degree level education.

As the government sets about hitting the reset button on governance, it will do well to enlist the service of these competent and idealistic youngsters in the effort. For once, it ought to see these new recruits not as beneficiaries of the government's largesse, but as collaborators to rebuild the state. Education till higher secondary level in the state is thriving; the quality of some schools in Lamka may be comparable to the best in Delhi.

What Manipur lacked and need right now is better college education. Due to impossibly high cut-off requirements, admission in Delhi University colleges is now beyond the reach of many. Improving college education here will checkout-migration of young talent, save resources and put the state back on a firm footing towards sustainable progress. This is where our focus ought to be.