Manipur: DM University authorities appeal students to call off hunger strike, says Registrar, Controller to be appointed soon

The 6th Semester (US) Exam 2024 (June) is scheduled to take place from July 20 till 29

Dhanamanjuri University authorities have appealed to the students of the University to call off their indefinite hunger strike and said that the process for filing up the posts of Registrar and Controller of Examinations have been completed and the appointments would be done soon.

A release issued by the University said that the results for the said posts will be declared after the approval of the Syndicate as it is required under the DMU Act, 2017.

It mentioned that the statutory bodies of the University, namely the Academic Council, the Syndicate and the Senate has been re-constituted as Regular Academic Council, Syndicate, Senate as per relevant provisions of the DMU Act, 2017 with the approval of the Chancellor, DMU, the Governor of Manipur.

Being a State University which runs with major financial support from the state government, various factors are considered by the Government before according permission for declaration of results of recruitment, such as State’s financial health, importance of the posts, availability of temporary manpower to dispose of day-to-day responsibilities pending a recruitment process, legal issues involved, observance of due procedure and norms for recruitment, Model Code of Conduct, etc., it noted.

It also stated that online examination was conducted in 2023 for certain semesters in view of the then prevailing law and order scenario in the State. In view of the current demand of the students for holding semester examinations in online mode, approval has been sought from UGC for the same and reply is awaited, it asserted. It added that UGC% approval has been sought to ensure that the future of the students is not jeopardised in case the online examinations are not recognised by UGC and to ensure necessary measures to promote the best educational and ethical standards in the University.

It further said that the former Vice-Chancellor was appointed in 2021 under Section 14(2) of the DMU Act, 2017 which provided that the term of the first VC shall be for a period of 3 years. The second provision of section 14 of the DMU Act, 2017 was amended on March 20, 2023 to read as ‘not exceeding 3 years’, it stated.

It pointed out that the term of the first VC (Regular) was completed on April 27, 2024 and he held office for the full term of 3 years as per the Act. His term was not curtailed due to this amendment, it mentioned. “The proviso under Section 14(4), which allows the VC to continue in his office until a successor is appointed, for a maximum period of 1 year, will be applicable only in case of subsequent VC appointed under Section 14(4) and not VC appointed under Section 14 (2), it informed,” the release stated.

It said that as per the Act, the Administrative Secretary in-charge of Department of Higher & Technical Education was made an ex-officio VC on March 20, 2023, which was more than 1 year before the former VC retired, and also 15 months before Government conveyed approval for declaration of results for recruitment for additional posts.

It noted that the advertisement for filling up the post of VC was issued on Wednesday after due process, which was initiated in May, 2024, however, the process was delayed due to the enforcement of Model Code of Conduct. It also said that the Constitution of the Search Committee as envisaged in the DMU Act, 2017 has started.

It further mentioned the declaration of results of the recruitment for 83 teaching faculty on February 29, and said that the process reportedly did not follow the procedure prescribed by the government and the DMU Act. Proceedings of the Syndicate approving declaration of results for recruitment were not found in records nor the Registrar was present in the meeting of the Syndicate chaired by the former VC in this regard, it stated.

It maintained that the orders of the High Court for declaration of results had not at all directed the University to declare results by flouting the act and rules. These irregularities had also invited scrutiny of the State Vigilance Commission, it stated. It also mentioned that the University had issued notification for filling up the examination forms for 1st and 3rd (Post Graduate) Semester Exam, 2023 (December) on May 21 and 23, 2024 respectively and further, re-notified again on June 5 by the then Controller of Examinations, and the same notification has rescheduled exams with effect from June 20.

The 6th Semester (US) Exam 2024 (June) is scheduled with effect from July 20 till 29, the official release stated. It added that the Academic Council meeting was held several times to work for the welfare of the students including starting classes of the next semester.

It urged the general public, parents, teachers and students to extend their support and cooperation towards the efforts taken by DMU to improve the academic atmosphere in the University and its 5 constituent colleges.

It further appealed to all the students who are on hunger strike, to call on the same to restore normalcy in the academic campus as well as not to believe in any misleading statements.

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