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Peeved with the deplorable infrastructure and deprivation of basic amenities, students of NIT Manipur are on strike, threatening to bid the premier institute goodbye if the concerned authorities do not look into their demands. Ironically, what the students of this technical institute are demanding are something they should have been provided normally - proper classrooms, proper hostel, sufficient books in the library, a functional auditorium, adequate faculty and a well maintained campus.

 

Instead of attending their classes, students of NIT Manipur are on a class boycott protest in front of the administrative block demanding proper campus, proper classrooms and proper hostel since 21st January 2019,  

 “NIT Manipur is a disgrace to the idea of NIT”, said Sumit, a second year civil engineering student from Bihar. Sumit who gave his all to get admitted in a NIT lamented, that his efforts has literally gone in vain having landed in NIT Manipur. “The campus lacks a functional drainage and a garbage management system, causing great inconvenience to the students. We come here after a lot of hardwork and a long, competitive process. But what we have here - broken walls, the campus is similar to a jungle. When it rains, the campus gets flooded, compelling us to fold our trousers up to our knees to go to classes”. The engineering student further alleged that the hostel accommodation is pathetic too with eight to seven students sharing a room, making the room crapped and devoid space for studies. “We’re only demanding proper classroom and proper accommodation. If you see our accommodation you will be shocked. We’re literally living like animals.”

Revealing that all 912 students of NIT Manipur have resolved to quit the institute if the concerned authorities fail to act to fulfil their demands as soon as possible, Abhay Kumar, another 2nd year student from UP said, the excitement generated by recent announcement of 10% reservation by the MHRD for the General Category students in national institutes, has been dampened by the condition prevailing in the institute, he is currently enrolled in. “We were thrilled when MHRD announced 10% reservation but it would have no meaning if one lands up in an institution like this. This is a great loss for us. If authority continues to ignore our grievance, we may have to quit the college.”

Prof. Khumanthem Manglem Singh, the Registrar in-charge of the institute while reacting to the students’ protest, said that it is the government of India’s responsibility to ensure the institute progresses in the right direction and students, faculty and staff of the institute do not suffer. “NIT Manipur has been established by the Government of India. They should see to it that the institute progresses. Due to cases of some financial misappropriation, the students should not be made to suffer.”

On the issue of the campus lacking proper drainage and garbage management system, the Registrar-in-charge admitted that NIT Manipur is at its permanent campus but functioning with temporary infrastructure and it is gradually sinking down under because the campus site is a low lying area. “The problem is that whatever we’ve built is slowly sinking down as the campus in located in a low-lying area. And because MHRD has imposed a restriction, we cannot go in for other constructions.”

Sunzu Bachaspatimayum

To read the further article please get your copy of Eastern Panorama February issue @http://www.magzter.com/IN/Hill-Publications/Eastern-Panorama/News/ or mail to contact @easternpanorama.in