Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 21 2009:
The All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur has decided to suspend its proposed series of agitation following an assurance from the SPF Government that the left out quota of ST in the recruitment of Senior Residents in the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences would be filled up.
The student body had earlier imposed a State wide bandh on May 18 alleging that the recent recruitment of 33 Senior Residents including 5 in the ST quota violated the 31 pc reservation norms for the ST candidates.
JNIMS is likely to begin its first session this year and the construction work for the institute has been taken up on a war footing.
ATSUM had earlier demanded a white paper on the recruitment process of Senior Residents which was held from April 17 to 27 and had sought ten seats for ST candidates.
An agreement was arrived at today during a meeting between representatives of the student body led by its advisor John Pulamte, president Thomas Taishya and general Apao Haokip and the Chief Minister today.
Speaking to The Sangai Express a student leader said that after minutely discussing the issue, the Government issued a written declaration that three ST candidates who are in the waiting list
and another two ST candidates will be considered for recruitment as Senior Residents at the institute.
Earlier in the day, before meeting the Chief Minister, the student leaders also met Information Minister TN Haokip to discuss the matter.
The student leaders also met the State Chief Secretary.
"Acknowledging the assurance of the Government, we have decided to suspend our planned series of agitation.
We will however wait and watch the Government and if the assurance is not implemented then we will have no options but to resume our agitation," said the student leader.