CHENNAI: To put an end to on-campus discrimination against students from the northeast, the University Grants Commission has asked universities to include the history, cultural heritage and involvement of the region in the freedom movement, in the curriculum of schools and colleges.
The suggestion was first made by the North East Students' Federation to various official bodies in the country, including the human resource development ministry and the NCERT, a couple of months ago. "We approached various organizations and submitted our memorandum soon after the death of Nido Tania, 20, of Arunachal Pradesh, who was beaten to death in Delhi," said Taba Toni, general secretary of the federation from Arunachal Pradesh.
UGC deputy secretary Shakeel Ahmad has written to vice-chancellors of universities across the country about the recommendations of a task force set up by HRD ministry to promote educational opportunities and the welfare of students from the Northeast, after Tania's death sparked an outcry from northeastern students. The task force has recommended the curriculum be changed or modified to include novels or short stories from the region, translated from different languages, at the university level. Universities have been asked to ensure the syllabus features important personalities from the region who participated in the freedom movement.
