The Youth Upliftment Coordinating Organisation has called on the state government to help solve all issues and bring back normalcy at the Naorem Birahari College of Khundrakpam following a non-stop conflict situation.
Addressing the media at the Manipur Press Club on Tuesday, publicity secretary of the organisation, Thounaojam Bipin Singh said that the college has been in a chaotic situation due to corruptive practices carried out by some vested interest group of people. This has led to the local clubs of Khundrakpam assembly constituency forming the Youth Upliftment Coordinating Organisation, he added.
Recently, a governing body (GB) was constituted in complete violation of rules and regulations provided in the Education Code, 1982, he said, adding that teachers of the governing body were enlisted in the final list of GB members, without conducting procedures of electing teacher representatives. As a matter of fact, two teacher representatives should have been elected from among teachers, as per Education Code, 1982 under section iv close 10 (a) ii, he said.
He alleged that a large number of staff was appointed through illegal practices such as date back appointment, appointment without DPC giving rise to a total 320 staff. Initially, the number of staff was only 85 at the time of the upgradation of the college to the government aided status. The enormous increase in staff poses a threat to the position of the genuine staff of the college, he said.
“Date back appointment began at the end of 2019. During the upgrade of the college in 2016, there were only 85 employees. Some left the college, but appointments increased with 128 as teaching and 122 as non-teaching staffs”, Bipin said, adding that there were a total of 321 staff in the college.
Meanwhile, during the tenure of the GB headed by N Thoiba Singh as secretary, it was found that staff were recruited openly by issuing advertisements to this effect in a local newspaper following the rules and regulations and conducting DPC as provided in the Education Code, 1982.
The results of the recruitment of staff were formally announced and the list of the appointment of 168 staff was forwarded to the concerned authority, directorate of education (U), he said.
“As for the absorption of the staff to the 17 posts sanctioned by government of Manipur in the year 2016 during upgradation to aided college, it is yet to turn into ‘by name’. it is total failure of the directorate of education (U)”, said the publicity secretary.
Surprisingly, the organisation found that the director of University and Higher Education misused executive power and violated the Education Code, 1982 and that the director had appointed I Kunjabati Devi as a principal (look after) of the aided college, that too, in the order of former principal retirement order. As such it created many problems in the college, he said.
Between chaotic situations, in November 10, 2022, the GB, led by U Dijen, suspended 11 staff including assistant librarian by exercising power conferred by section II Clause 3 (i) (a) of the Manipur Education Code. Further, the GB suspended 7 teachers by violating rules and regulation on January 25, 2023. Such illegal practices should stop through action from concerned authorities, he said.
He said that a memorandum has been submitted to the education minister and to the Khundrakpam AC MLA but no positive response has been received yet.
