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Life is not a bed of roses for NE students in Delhi
However, the students coming from other parts of the country complain that the Northeastern students prefer to live within their own communities. There is hardly any communication or interaction between the Northeastern students and non Northeastern students and others. There is a communication gap among the students of Mongoloid background and others from different parts of India. Mr B Mahrili Osanah, preparing for civil service examination after completing graduation from Delhi University, says admission to a college affiliated to Delhi University, Jamia Milia Islamia and the Jawharlal Nehru University (JNU) is not a problem for the NE students. The problem is the language barrier.
Most of them have to stay in hostels and rent accommodation. It is a problem to communicate with the landlords, especially with the land ladies.
Our knowledge of Hindi is not worth mentioning. And their problem is that they cannot understand English even through they are educated.
For such lack of intermingling Northeastern students can not be solely blamed. Most of them get exposure to the wider world for the first time after landing in Delhi.
Their life here is not a bed of roses. They have to struggle hard here for existence. Accommodation still remains a major problem. There are already an estimated 45,000 to 50,000 students from the North East studying various courses in and around Delhi.
Room in hostels is limited as stated by Nganingmi Shimray, Assistant Games and Sports Secretary of the Naga Students’ Union of Delhi. After coming to Delhi, they have to fend for themselves as there is no guidance by the University, the Central or state governments. The Union set up a desk to help the Naga students fill in forms and guide them on where and how to apply for admission. Similar camps have been set up by the Kuki Students’ Association, Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Association of Delhi, the Manipur Students’ Association, Dimasa and Bodo Students’ Unions.
Students say that admission for most of them with missionary school background is not a problem since they are assured of studying some courses in the humanities stream under quota system for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes. But where will they stay and continue studying? They are assisted in this regard by senior students belonging to their communities or states who have rented rooms near the universities.
Some house owners are making brisk business by letting out a part of their houses to such migratory birds for a high rent.
Mr. Shimray, himself a senior student, says that sharing one room may cost a student about Rs. 2, 500 to 3,000 per month minus charges for water and electricity, food and snacks. Many students eat out and many of them also cook food and have breakfast and evening snacks for which they have to pay extra. Rent for accommodation varies from locality to locality. It may be above Rs.2,500 per month depending on the location.
A majority of the students are from middle class families who dream about their children becoming achievers. Since they are far away from their homes, these students have to depend on cell phones for communication among themselves and to keep their parents informed about their activities. And for this purpose, they have to incur a heavy expenditure borne by their parents. To obtain a BA degree, one Northeastern student has to spend about Rs.6,000 to 6,500 per month! “Is this not too much for us to ask of our parents”, asks Bomrik Pakam, General Secretary, Arunachal Students’ Union.
As stated earlier, the students from the North East prefer to study political science, history and mass
communications including journalism. However, this year, a larger number of students from the North East have opted for mass communications in the undergraduate course. Journalism has attracted a large number of students unlike in the previous year. This may be attributed to the on campus campaign launched by several private institutes to rope in students.
They hope to get placements in government owned media and the public sector undertakings which have massive budgets and have to survive on publicity blitz after obtaining degrees in mass communications course.
Miss Lolee Leshiini Kriibve, Social and Cultural Secretary of the Naga Students’ Union, says women in her native state of Manipur, and other parts of the Northeastern region are keen on higher studies. They are encouraged by their parents in this regard. They all aspire to join state and central civil services. Many students also come to Delhi for coaching and guidance for this purpose. But Luikang Lamak, the union’s Vice President says many Northeastern men and women have joined private companies in and around the national capital and are staying in rental accommodation after completing studies. The attitude of the people to the Northeastern girls and women is deplorable .Very often lewd comments are passed on them in educational institutions and places of work. We have to intervene, he says.
Our knowledge of Hindi is not worth mentioning. And their problem is that they cannot understand English even through they are educated.
For such lack of intermingling Northeastern students can not be solely blamed. Most of them get exposure to the wider world for the first time after landing in Delhi.
Their life here is not a bed of roses. They have to struggle hard here for existence. Accommodation still remains a major problem. There are already an estimated 45,000 to 50,000 students from the North East studying various courses in and around Delhi.
Room in hostels is limited as stated by Nganingmi Shimray, Assistant Games and Sports Secretary of the Naga Students’ Union of Delhi. After coming to Delhi, they have to fend for themselves as there is no guidance by the University, the Central or state governments. The Union set up a desk to help the Naga students fill in forms and guide them on where and how to apply for admission. Similar camps have been set up by the Kuki Students’ Association, Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Association of Delhi, the Manipur Students’ Association, Dimasa and Bodo Students’ Unions.Students say that admission for most of them with missionary school background is not a problem since they are assured of studying some courses in the humanities stream under quota system for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes. But where will they stay and continue studying? They are assisted in this regard by senior students belonging to their communities or states who have rented rooms near the universities.
Some house owners are making brisk business by letting out a part of their houses to such migratory birds for a high rent.
Mr. Shimray, himself a senior student, says that sharing one room may cost a student about Rs. 2, 500 to 3,000 per month minus charges for water and electricity, food and snacks. Many students eat out and many of them also cook food and have breakfast and evening snacks for which they have to pay extra. Rent for accommodation varies from locality to locality. It may be above Rs.2,500 per month depending on the location.
A majority of the students are from middle class families who dream about their children becoming achievers. Since they are far away from their homes, these students have to depend on cell phones for communication among themselves and to keep their parents informed about their activities. And for this purpose, they have to incur a heavy expenditure borne by their parents. To obtain a BA degree, one Northeastern student has to spend about Rs.6,000 to 6,500 per month! “Is this not too much for us to ask of our parents”, asks Bomrik Pakam, General Secretary, Arunachal Students’ Union.
As stated earlier, the students from the North East prefer to study political science, history and mass
communications including journalism. However, this year, a larger number of students from the North East have opted for mass communications in the undergraduate course. Journalism has attracted a large number of students unlike in the previous year. This may be attributed to the on campus campaign launched by several private institutes to rope in students.They hope to get placements in government owned media and the public sector undertakings which have massive budgets and have to survive on publicity blitz after obtaining degrees in mass communications course.
Miss Lolee Leshiini Kriibve, Social and Cultural Secretary of the Naga Students’ Union, says women in her native state of Manipur, and other parts of the Northeastern region are keen on higher studies. They are encouraged by their parents in this regard. They all aspire to join state and central civil services. Many students also come to Delhi for coaching and guidance for this purpose. But Luikang Lamak, the union’s Vice President says many Northeastern men and women have joined private companies in and around the national capital and are staying in rental accommodation after completing studies. The attitude of the people to the Northeastern girls and women is deplorable .Very often lewd comments are passed on them in educational institutions and places of work. We have to intervene, he says.
