Our Correspondent
KOHIMA, MARCH 5
The All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) has launched its first phase agitation on Saturday to protest against what it alleged a negligent attitude of the state government towards the student community by failing to initiate any positive step to address loopholes in conduct of exams and distribution of seats for various technical courses by the department of Technical Education.
ANCSU officials told reporters here this evening that the first phase of its stir which was launched today will continue till March 7 and students from all the 57 ANCSU affiliated colleges across the state will abstain from attending the regular classes as part of the agitation. They said in the event their three-point demand from the government remains yet to be fulfilled by the end of their first phase of agitation, the next phase will be more aggressive and will continue until justice is delivered.
The ANCSU officials are dismayed over the state government’s inaction towards its repeated appeals, representations, report of the State Vigilance Commission (SVC) and the union’s ultimatum for redressal of the alleged irregularities in functioning of the technical education department in matters relating to technical courses.
They informed that the union will never give up their demand and sought the cooperation of all towards the cause of the younger generation and for a common issue. Stating that they are gradually losing trust on the state government’s verbal assurances on several occasions without any substantial initiative, they reminded that the union is not targeting any particular person or officials but their demand was to take action against the erring department and its officials and correct the flaws in the system.
ANCSU is concerned that the joint entrance examination (technical courses) for the new academic session is approaching and the same mistakes would be repeated again. It alleged that the allocation of medical seats to 3 non -Nagas out of 20 seats in 2015 was also a fiasco of “the highest order” and it clearly indicated that the erring department has no intention of ever amending its ways.
“Instead of being a guiding figure the students are shocked to discover that the Technical Education Department had been a stumbling block for many deserving students for many years,” one of the officials stated.
Mention may be made here that ANCSU had served a 15-day ultimatum to the Chief Minister on February 17 last, and a reminder of the same was forwarded on March 2, demanding that the government take punitive action against erring officials as per the findings of the SVC report; to initiate process for amalgamation of Technical Education Department with Higher Education Department without delay; and that, only the students belonging to indigenous tribes of Nagaland should be allowed to appear the technical and allied courses for state reserved quota.
