Imphal, Aug 19: The All Tribal Students� Union Manipur (ATSUM) today demanded for the �establishment of a �Hill University� for the upliftment and amelioration of the decades long neglected educational needs of the tribals of Manipur�.

In a statement,the tribal students union querried the representation submitted to Manipur University authorities of June 19 on the present recruitment of 70 teaching faculty, reservation norms followed by the university,the present function of special cell for ST/SCs and UGC guidelines on reserve seats.

ATSUM observed that tribal peoples welcome the conversion of MU into Central University and subsequent improvement of infrastructure.

�It is now all clear that the same is not going to result into a better and fairer deal for the tribal peoples of Manipur with regard to employments in teaching and non-teaching jobs.The courses of study offered by the university is also at stake under the reservation pattern newly adopted by the university�, it rued.

Further ,the statement opined that the tribal people expected fair deal and redresses of the grivances adding the University authority try to avoid most of the points that were raised earlier saying �it will be strictly followed the reservation norms of India and with the 200 point roster� which the tribal students body said it give one seat to ST candidates whenever 14 seats are vacant and is advertised at one-go.

Explaining on �circumvention�, ATSUM said that the authority use whatever means under their disposal to then 33 percent reservation for ST/SC while it was a �state university� from the fact that out of the 120 teaching faculty in the university only two are ST.

The tribal students body warned the grave issue to general public and should not be blamed to the tribal peoples of the state in the event of a decision to stay away from �central Manipur University� by boycotting it altogether from next academic session onwards.

Comment