{"id":3260,"date":"2011-04-03T07:07:36","date_gmt":"2011-04-03T11:07:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kanglaonline.com\/?p=15885"},"modified":"2011-04-03T07:07:36","modified_gmt":"2011-04-03T11:07:36","slug":"plight-of-theological-students-of-manipur-tribals-in-regard-to-the-post-matric-scholarship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/2011\/04\/03\/plight-of-theological-students-of-manipur-tribals-in-regard-to-the-post-matric-scholarship\/","title":{"rendered":"Plight of Theological Students of Manipur Tribals in Regard to The Post Matric Scholarship"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>  <script type=\"text\/javascript\">var addthis_product='wpp-252';<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"http:\/\/s7.addthis.com\/js\/250\/addthis_widget.js#pubid=kanglaonline\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>H. Thangtungnung<br \/> Theological study is a branch of academic education and knowledge similarly to other disciplines which aim at earning a<\/p>\n<p>degree. It is also based on certification like other academic streams to mould and shape one future career so as to enable<\/p>\n<p>him\/her to pursue a higher study of education. It is not therefore, a different application or system of education away<\/p>\n<p>from academic parlance. It is thus likely and necessary that a theological student from S.T\/S.C background who is pursuing<\/p>\n<p>a degree gets the Post-Matric Scholarship of S.T\/S.C, funded by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Social<\/p>\n<p>Justice and Empowerment without any hindrance unless, he\/she is availing other scholarships like the Post-Matric minority<\/p>\n<p>scholarship, funded by the Ministry of Minority Affairs. The tribal theological students should be allowed to apply the<\/p>\n<p>scholarship smoothly so as to enable them to continue their course of study and to pursue a higher learning without any<\/p>\n<p>financial constraints by availing the scholarship.<\/p>\n<p>The theological students, like the students of\u00a0 other academic courses like B.A., B.Sc or B.Com, etc are paying full<\/p>\n<p>admission fees, tuition fees, examination fees, academic and other necessary fees. They need to manage themselves like<\/p>\n<p>those students from secular studies and as such, they need maintenance allowances as well in the form of a full<\/p>\n<p>scholarship. Like many secular colleges of learning, most of these theological or Bible Colleges are also affiliated to a<\/p>\n<p>centrally recognized University and alike and are full fledge institutes as per rules and norms laid down in the<\/p>\n<p>educational policy of the Country.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In fact, the rules and regulations of the Post-Matric Scholarship for S.T\/S.C formulated by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs,<\/p>\n<p>Government of India and implemented by the concerned State Governments do not mention anything which would exclude non-<\/p>\n<p>secular studies under the purview of the scholarship. It does not disallow the theological students from benefiting this<\/p>\n<p>scholarship. So, the concerned State Government and its Department which is monitoring and implementing the said<\/p>\n<p>scholarship cannot just simply deny the right of theological students from getting the scholarship.<\/p>\n<p>The theological students of Manipur availed the PMS till the financial year, 2006-2007 continuously but hereafter, from<\/p>\n<p>2007-2008, the same students were denied the Scholarship even though they applied for it, and in the succeeding year, i.e.<\/p>\n<p>for 2008-09, they were not even allow to apply the said scholarship. The only reason expressed by the concerned authority<\/p>\n<p>as to why the scholarship is debarred to these students is that, it is because their course of studies is non-secular!<\/p>\n<p>However, our adjacent states like Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya sanctioned and paid full scholarship to their theological<\/p>\n<p>students. Except in Manipur, that is also recently, no demarcation is drawn between secular and spiritual studies in<\/p>\n<p>respect to giving the Post Matric Scholarship to the Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste students.<\/p>\n<p>Taking into account the above points critically, the Trulock Theological Seminary, Imphal was visited within the first week<\/p>\n<p>of March, 2009. The purpose of the visit was to interview the students and staffs of the Institute and to get first hand<\/p>\n<p>information about their views and to take note of their plights with regard to the Post-Matric Scholarship so that factual<\/p>\n<p>knowledge and understanding could be acquired. A conclusion can then be drawn after analyzing and studying the details of<\/p>\n<p>what has been found out from the information obtained there.<\/p>\n<p>Seiminchon,1 the General Secretary of TTSSF (Trulock Theological Seminary Students\u2019 Fellowship) was the first person to be<\/p>\n<p>interviewed. In his interview, he mentioned that the previous theological students availed the scholarship till the year<\/p>\n<p>2006-07 but since then, scholarship was revoked to theological students by the Directorate of Development of Tribals and<\/p>\n<p>SC, Manipur without assigning any reason. There after, i.e., from the academic session of 2007-08, no more scholarship is<\/p>\n<p>granted to them. They were the first students who were debarred from the scholarship. He further stated that there is no<\/p>\n<p>other scholarship or stipend he received from any other source. He also maintained that no one from the institute has<\/p>\n<p>applied the scholarship again since they have been informed that, even if they applied, they will not been awarded the<\/p>\n<p>scholarship. He raised a question as to why they should not also be granted the PMS since the Trulock Theological Seminary<\/p>\n<p>(TTS) is affiliated to the Senate of Serampore, Calcutta, duly recognized by the UGC (University Grants Commission). As the<\/p>\n<p>institute is also directly under the purview of a recognized Institute, the tribal students must be, as per rules, entitled<\/p>\n<p>to benefit the scholarship as long as they fulfill the norms and standard laid down by the Regulations of the Scheme. He<\/p>\n<p>even pointed out that the TTS and MTC at Kangpokpi are full fledged institutes of the Senate of Serampore, Calcutta,<\/p>\n<p>recognized by the UGC while many other theological institutes are affiliated to ATA (Asian Theological Association).<\/p>\n<p>When asked whether there was any measure taken to relieve their cause, he explained that they themselves had brought up the<\/p>\n<p>matter to the concerned authority, but when every step failed on their part, the MUTSU (Manipur University Tribal Students<\/p>\n<p>Union), AMSU (All Manipur Students Union), KSO ( Kuki Students\u2019 Organisation) and the HAC (Hill Area Committee) were<\/p>\n<p>approached. The Director and Deputy Director for Tribal Welfare had been urged, the concerned Secretary was petitioned, but<\/p>\n<p>all these requests vanished in the thick air unsolved.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0Themneimawi, 2 another B.D II Year Student was asked about her reaction on this regard, and she said that she was quite<\/p>\n<p>disheartened and unhappy. She maintained that since they were the first batch being denied the scholarship, she felt<\/p>\n<p>morally neglected and degrading. According to her own statement, no definite reason was given to them for this withdrawal.<\/p>\n<p>She stated that they did not apply for any other scholarship and as such, they were learning without a single scholarship<\/p>\n<p>though most of them hailed from a very poor family background. \u2018No one is there to see and understand our plight and to<\/p>\n<p>take necessary measures on this regard,\u2019 she added.<\/p>\n<p>Neingneihoi, 3 another interviewee, said that she came here for her B.D. (Bachelor of Divinity) from Nagaland, where she<\/p>\n<p>resided and completed her B.Th (Bachelor of Theology). She availed the Post Matric Scholarship during her B.Th course. She<\/p>\n<p>said that she was shock to learn that the theological students of Manipur were debarred from the Post-Matric Scholarship<\/p>\n<p>since the past two years. She raised a question why these students should not avail the Scholarship when the same students<\/p>\n<p>of Nagaland and other States were being awarded? She argued that she was pursuing her course of studies not because of the<\/p>\n<p>sole aim of scholarship, but she felt unsatisfactory when she would be denied of what she ought to get as she had no other<\/p>\n<p>source of income to relieve her financial problem. It is true that many poor students, coming from remote areas are in the<\/p>\n<p>hope of getting scholarship to relieve themselves from financial burden. But this expectation and hope is turned into a<\/p>\n<p>mere day dream.<\/p>\n<p>In order to cover a wider range of study and to acquire more evidences, the Grace Bible College, New Lamka and Evangelical<\/p>\n<p>College of Theology, Nehru Mark, both in Churachandpur were visited on June 16, 2009. But the visit coincided with the<\/p>\n<p>summer vocation and there were no students to interview there. One of the main objects or purposes of visiting the two<\/p>\n<p>institutes was to obtain information regarding the initiative that has been taken on this issue.<\/p>\n<p>Rev. Dr. Sonna Langzakham Ph.D,4 the Principal of Grace Bible College was interviewed and it was learned that his students<\/p>\n<p>received the Post-Matric Scholarship till the year 2006-2007, but thereafter, it was ceased. The students organized<\/p>\n<p>themselves with a few other Bible colleges\u2019 students who were being denied the same and urged the concerned authorities to<\/p>\n<p>revoke the order but this went unheeded.\u00a0 The only reason given to them was that theological studies were a non-secular<\/p>\n<p>course and the Scheme excluded such a study. The students\u2019 body met the Director of Tribal Welfare, Manipur, in 2008 and<\/p>\n<p>urged for uninterrupted payment. To their dismay, they got a reply that final authority was with the Commissioner for<\/p>\n<p>Scholarship\/T.D., and he was not in a position to help them if no positive direction came from the higher authority. They<\/p>\n<p>also approached the Deputy Director, Scholarship\/T.D. and requested him to do something on this regard. The officer merely<\/p>\n<p>replied that though he understood their (the students) grievances and would like helping them, the higher authorities<\/p>\n<p>should be positive towards this matter in order to materialize something.<\/p>\n<p>The students also approached P.C., Lawmkunga, the then Principal Secretary, (Hills\/T.D.), and requested his kind approval<\/p>\n<p>for the scholarship which he flatly turned down. The students actually laid much blame on him for non-payment of the<\/p>\n<p>scholarship to theological students. The students argued that Shri T. Phungzathang, the then Minister for Tribal<\/p>\n<p>Development and Shri O. Ibobi Singh, the Chief Minister of Manipur, Government of Manipur, who held the finance portfolio<\/p>\n<p>were in favour of granting the scholarship to the theological students. This was not well received by the concerned<\/p>\n<p>Commissioner and Secretary. The Chief Minister had even given a direction along with an earmarked or budgetary statement<\/p>\n<p>for scholarship payment to the Department but without any outcome. It appears that though the Ministry had allocated fund<\/p>\n<p>for the said purpose, it was not effected by the lower authorities.<\/p>\n<p>Though the scholarship was not granted to theological students in 2006-07, many of them were disheartened to apply in the<\/p>\n<p>following year, i.e. for 2007-08, but their applications were rejected. The Principal of Grace Bible College stated that,<\/p>\n<p>as a result of this, none of his students had applied further for 2008-09 academic session. Since then, the matter had been<\/p>\n<p>left aside by the students\u2019 community.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>When Rev. Kh. Khaizakham, B.A., Th.M, D.Miss,5 Principal, Evangelical College of\u00a0 Theology, Churachandpur was interviewed,<\/p>\n<p>it was ascertained that his students availed the Post-Matric Scholarship till the academic session, 2006-07 but they were<\/p>\n<p>debarred from the next academic session though they applied for it. All the initiatives taken by the students having failed<\/p>\n<p>already, none of the students applied again from the academic session of 2008-09. When asked what initiatives had been<\/p>\n<p>taken up on their part, Khaizakham replied that initially, his students along with the students of Grace Bible College and<\/p>\n<p>alike put a joint effort and their representatives met the higher authorities to convince them in their favour. The<\/p>\n<p>representatives also approached ATSUM (All Tribal Students Union, Manipur) and the KSO (Kuki Students Organisation) to take<\/p>\n<p>up the issue on their behalf but no positive results turned out. It was a common reaction that P.C. Lawmkunga was so much<\/p>\n<p>oppose to granting a scholarship for Theological Courses. In response to why he was too adamant, it was generally held that<\/p>\n<p>Lawmkunga considered theological courses as purely non-secular and therefore, these religious studies were excluded within<\/p>\n<p>the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme.<br \/> When his personal view was taken, Khaizakham remarked that if it was true that religious courses were outside the<\/p>\n<p>Scholarship Scheme, why Mizoram and Nagaland could grant the same scholarship for such courses! He pointed out that there<\/p>\n<p>was a student from his Institute who used to seek his signature for applying this scholarship which he always got. So, his<\/p>\n<p>general conclusion was that the theological students of Manipur should also be awarded the PMS as there is no other<\/p>\n<p>scholarship or source of income for the students. They pursue their studies without any stipend, grant or scholarship.<\/p>\n<p>The Grace Bible College and the Evangelical College of Theology are both, accredited Colleges of the Asian Theological<\/p>\n<p>Association, India, attached with Andra University, duly recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC). So, the main<\/p>\n<p>questions which arises after critical evaluation of the above findings are\u2014<\/p>\n<p>1. On what specific ground the theological students are denied their Post-Matric scholarship?<br \/> 2. If the reason for refutation is that such studies are non-secular and are excluded within the Scholarship Scheme, then<\/p>\n<p>under which rules or regulations it is so?<br \/> 3. If it is really true that theological study is outside the purview of scholarship scheme and the Rules and Regulations<\/p>\n<p>of the Scheme do not naturally cover such studies, why then, the students were paid till the year 2006-07? Is there any<\/p>\n<p>modification from that point of time?<br \/> 4. If such a revised rule has become effective, why and how could other states still continue to pay the same to their<\/p>\n<p>students for such courses?<br \/> 5. If there was alteration of the Regulations of the Scheme, then why is it not notified<br \/> Officially through newspapers or intimated to the concerned institutes? And if the Implementing agency or the State<\/p>\n<p>Government are not quite familiar with the<br \/> Regulation governing the award of Scholarship as specified by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Social Justice<\/p>\n<p>and Empowerment, why is the matter not brought up to the notice of the sanctioning Ministry to seek their view, advice or<\/p>\n<p>clarification?<br \/> Taking into account the above points, even if the Scheme has excluded the non secular courses from the purview of the<\/p>\n<p>Scholarship, the concerned Ministry has to at least clarify and notify the same stating the reasons clearly.<\/p>\n<p>Notes:<br \/> 1. Seiminchon, (b. 15-11-1985) B.D. II Year, Kangpokpi, interviewed on the 2nd March, 2009 (Monday) at Trulock Theological<\/p>\n<p>Seminary, Imphal.<br \/> 2. Themneimawi (b. 09-03-1985), B.D. II Year, Moreh, interviewed on 2nd March, 2009 at Trulock Theological Seminary,<\/p>\n<p>Imphal.<br \/> 3. Niengneihoi (b. 28-08-1984), B.D. I Year, Saijang Village, Paren District, Nagaland, interviewed during 2008-09 at as<\/p>\n<p>above.<br \/> 4. Rev. Dr. Sonna Langzakham, Principal, Grace Bible College, interviewed on June 16, 2009, at his office.<br \/> 5. Rev. Kh. Khaizakham, Principal, Evangelical College of Theology, interviewed on June 16, 2009, at his office.<\/p>\n<p> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~r\/Kanglaonline\/~4\/8NEk8IxS5GQ\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\"\/><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"syndicated-attribution\">Read more \/ Original news source: <a href=\"http:\/\/feedproxy.google.com\/~r\/Kanglaonline\/~3\/8NEk8IxS5GQ\/\">http:\/\/feedproxy.google.com\/~r\/Kanglaonline\/~3\/8NEk8IxS5GQ\/<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>H. Thangtungnung Theological study is a branch of academic education and knowledge similarly to other disciplines which aim at earning a degree. It is also based on certification like other&#8230; <a href=\"http:\/\/kanglaonline.com\/2011\/04\/plight-of-theological-students-of-manipur-tribals-in-regard-to-the-post-matric-scholarship-2\/\">Read more <span>&#187;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,4],"tags":[45,330],"class_list":["post-3260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kanglaonline","category-news","tag-editorial","tag-kanglaonline-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3260"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3260\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manipur.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}