Similarly, since the ethnic conflict started in Manipur in May, a wide number of families have been displaced and forced to move across the country; as of now over 70,000 citizens have been displaced. This has led to the loss of education for scores of students. The Supreme Court noted this havoc in its response to a petition filed by 284 displaced students and has directed central universities across the country to grant admission to such displaced students, noting that the students have incurred a heavy loss in their education given that 6 months of the academic year have already been lost. On November 28, the Supreme Court, led by a bench comprising of Justice Chandrachud, directed the Centre and the Manipur government to address students’ grievances who sought accommodation at Central Universities due to the violence in the state The matter was heard again on December 4, where the Supreme Court granted three options to Manipur students. The Supreme Court offered the displaced students the choice of shifting to either Assam University in Silchar or North East Hill University in Shillong. Other than that they have been presented with the option to attend online classes at Manipur University itself; the Registrar of Manipur University had communicated in August, 2023, that students who wanted to avail online classes were free to opt for them.. However, the apex court expressed concerns about the quality and effect of online classes on the displaced students, following which the three-judge bench further stressed about the need for a more comprehensive solution and directed the Justice Gita Mittal committee to explore better alternatives with a report that is to be expected by the committee soon.

Students from Manipur have faced several educational crises in the past six months.  At the end of November, news reports emerged that about 27 medical students from the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur were barred from giving their exams. The 27 MBBS students held a protest saying that they were barred first from the BDS exams and then their MBBS exams as well despite having paid the examination fees; they have asked the governor’s, Anusuiya Uikey, assistance in the matter for its redressal.

Related:

‘Can’t keep the pot boiling over dead bodies’: Supreme Court directs dignified cremation/burial of Manipur violence victims

Manipur HC directs state government to allow internet in areas with no ethnic violence on a trial basis

Manipur: 10 MLAs call out the excessive use of force against the Kuki-Zo community

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s Vijayadashami speech blows BJP’s poll bugle, extolls G-20 summit, asks if “external forces” were responsible for Manipur violence

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