IMPHAL, Oct 4 NNN: The Joint Committe of Hill Districts Student Organisation (JCHDSO) today reaffirmed its stance on the issue of Teacher’s Eligibility Test (TET) saying it would not withdraw the decision to impose an indefinite economic blockade along all the National Highways leading to Manipur starting midnight of October 15.
\nTalking to U Indraraj of Newmai News Network this evening, JCHDSO convenor D Stephen asked the state education Minister to make a clear statement on the term he has repeatedly used as ‘technical problem’ on opening of TET exam centres in the five hill districts of Manipur.
\nCiting the news reports carried in some local dailies based in Imphal on Thursday quoting the minister who had said that for this year, no TET centres would be set up in the hill districts owing to technical problem so withdraw the proposed economic blockade, Stephen said JCHDO will not accept it.
\nStephen further dubbed the statement of Education Minister M okendro as an attitude of mistreatment against the hill people.
\nAsking about a possible hidden agenda of the state Government on its decision on non-implementation of the demand for setting up of TEt exam centres in the hill areas, Stephen pledged that the stance of the JCHSDO will not change under any circumstances until the Government meets its demand.
\nIt can be noted here that the People\u2019s Organization (NPO), the apex body of the Nagas in Senapati district had already announced to endorse the hill based students’ bodies on the issue of Teacher’s Eligibility Test (TET).
\nIt had also expressed its resentment over the way the State Government has treated the student\u2019s issue on TET.
\nThe NPO had said such treatment to the tribal people is not new to anyone and that; the TET issue movement initiated by Joint Committee of Hill Districts Students Organisation ( JCHDSO) is genuine and appreciable.
\nStating it as one of the many examples, it stated that, \u201cthe indifferent attitude of the State Government towards the Tribals in Manipur has been manifested by denying the justice of conducting exams and recruitments in the hills\u201d, we cannot continue to tolerate such unjustifiable designs of the Government but react accordingly. The NPO advised the State government to consider the genuine demand of the Tribal students at the earliest before the issue escalates.
\nWhile lauding the move of the hill based students’ bodies to have formed the JCHDSO, the NPO has extended its endorsement to the movement in the general interest of the tribal students. “The move of the JCHDSO demanding to conduct TET exams in hill districts is genuine and important to all the tribal communities and that, the State Government should understand the emotions of the students’ fraternity rather than exercising its hidden agenda\/politics of benefiting particular communities,” the NPO stated. Understanding the plight and cry of the student\u2019s is important rather than playing a bias card, stated NPO.<\/p>\n\n