The Kuki Students’ Organisation, General Headquarters (KSO-GHQ) has slammed Manipur University for initiating the process for fresh admissions without first addressing the problems faced by 400 displaced students and research scholars. 

The university issued a notice recently opening admission to various post-graduate programmes and integrated courses. But the admission process has been opened in the physical mode only when the ongoing conflict situation has made it impossible for Kukis to go to the Imphal Valley, let alone Manipur University, the organisation said. 

All the Kuki students, staff, and faculty members had to exit the university after mob riots on the campus since May 3, the KSO-GHQ said in a statement on Thursday. The Naga students also had to be evacuated as the mob destroyed the personal belongings, certificates, books, theses, laptops, and other gadgets of the tribal students. 

“Manipur University has become inaccessible for students, staff, and faculties belonging to the Kuki community and the State failed miserably to protect them. The university authorities should have first addressed the issue of 400 displaced students, including 80 research scholars, before starting the admission process,” the organisation said. 

“Steps should also have been taken to protect the careers of the tribal students by facilitating online examinations and handling of certificates. Fresh admission should have been enabled in the hill areas and the continuation of higher education for the Kuki community should have been arranged,” the KSO-GHQ said. 

Slamming the university for losing its Central University character and becoming “Meitei-specific”, the KSO-GHQ appealed to the Kuki students not to apply for admission unless alternative arrangements for the riot-affected tribal people are made. 

“We condemn the insensitivity of the Manipur University authorities in the strongest of terms,” the organisation said. 

Mizoram students

On the other hand, the Imphal-based Central Agriculture University has made alternative arrangements for 40 Mizoram students who are not willing to go to Manipur in view of the prevailing ethnic violence.

Officials said the university vice-chancellor, Anupam Mishra met Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati at the Raj Bhavan in Aizawl and told him that the problems faced by Mizoram students have been resolved.