Imphal : Members of the Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) staged a protest in Imphal on Sunday. The protestors burned effigies of the Manipur Education Minister, Commissioner, and Director of Education.

DESAM is demanding the immediate release of three members who were arrested on June 13th during an agitation regarding the recruitment process for Pre-Primary teachers. The students allege the recruitment process is not following the guidelines set forth in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

DESAM President Mayengbam Somorjit stated the alliance is advocating for strict adherence to NEP-2020 guidelines in the recruitment of 1140 pre-primary teachers.

The Manipur government, however, maintains the recruitment process is being conducted under the centrally sponsored Samagra Shiksha scheme, with 90% funding from the central government.

Elangbam Sonia, Joint Secretary of Education, highlighted that if the recruitment is not completed, the state risks losing the allocated funds.

The government justifies relaxing qualification requirements due to a lack of training centers offering the necessary pre-primary teacher education courses within the state. However, those meeting the full qualifications will be prioritized during recruitment.

DESAM rejects this explanation. N Nobilchandra, president of DESAM’s Imphal West district council, emphasized that untrained professionals are not accepted in medical or engineering fields, and the same standards should apply to teachers.

The protestors demanded a halt to the recruitment process and the unconditional release of their detained members. Job seekers, including educated unemployed youths and women seeking employment across various sectors, staged a protest on Sunday, culminating in a demonstration at the gates of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh‘s official residence in Imphal.

The demonstrators, representing the Joint Action Committee of the All Manipur State Power Development Company Ltd (MSPDCL) and Manipur State Power Company Ltd. (MSPCL) Exam Completed Candidates, voiced their frustration over the prolonged delay in the announcement of examination results for various positions within the state-run companies.

The protest, which began with a rally through the streets of Imphal, was driven by demands for transparency and promptness in the recruitment process. The government had conducted examinations in 2019 to fill 907 vacancies across eight different posts at MSPCL and MSPDCL.

Manipur police initially halted the protesters at Nupi Lan Complex before permitting a delegation to deliver a memorandum to the Chief Minister’s Secretary. According to police reports, the demonstration followed assurances from the Chief Minister to release the recruitment results post the 18th Lok Sabha elections, which concluded on June 4.

A protester warned of escalating protests if the examination results are not announced by June 30, 2024, emphasizing the urgency felt by job seekers awaiting the outcome of their applications.