Morung Express News
October 23
DIMAPUR: Highly-reliable sources from the Department of Higher and Technical Education, Kohima today disclosed that the said department was ready to go to the extent of filing a writ litigation in the court against students/individuals, colleges, student organizations making unsubstantiated allegations and personal attacks against concerned officials/department or its staffers in the wake of the ongoing storm over the release of Post Matric Scholarships in the State.
An official from the government on condition of anonymity told The Morung Express that the H&TE directorate was ready to take to court students/individuals or any organizations making unsubstantiated and uninformed charges (pertaining to the scholarships) against the department. According to the official, certain sections from the students’ community have been leveling relentless charges ranging from allegations of fund-embezzlement to so-referred apathy shown towards students ‘ever since the first question on the scholarships was raised’ said the official.
The option for legal action was contemplated after being found that certain sections of the students under the guise of students’ organizations, colleges and fake names were responsible for the black criticisms. It was also informed that the possible move would be as a last resort if unsubstantiated charges continue for the reason that the department had been keeping the public its information, notifications, notices, updates and clarifications regularly. “Don’t they ever read newspapers or check for necessary information or clarify from the concerned departments before coming up with those baseless charges?” the official asked wearily.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that a group of students from a certain college in Dimapur were found guilty of issuing poison letters to officials of the H&TE and had confessed that they had done so out of frustration. Also, according to latest information in the wake of a letter purportedly issued by students from Public College of Commerce, Dimapur, the Principal has denied that he made any remarks as published in a section of the local dailies on October 19 and had summoned the students under whose name the letter appeared.
When contacted on this matter, the Director H&TE Edward Lotha confirmed the issue. He told this paper that he had contacted the Principal of PCC where the latter denied making any remarks as published. “I was told by the principal that he had questioned the students and found that it was by some other students using the names of the students. A clarification letter from the real students appeared in the news dailies today.
Meanwhile, the Director in response to a student’s body, PGSU NUCK as well as two colleges Kohima Arts Collage and Salt Christian College raising matter, said that the question of the department failing to issue PMCS as released under the state fund, did not arise since the last batch drafts were received only yesterday (Oct 19) and that the issuance of respective drafts and necessary financial modalities including the scholarships were being issued to colleges.
Except for some theological colleges and two higher secondary institutions which are being investigated for irregularities, the drafts were ready/already issued.
The Director said that the drafts were being issued from Kohima itself for the reason that they might be lost while in transit as well as that some institution haven’t yet taken their respective shares due to factors of transportation, shortage of staff, distance and communication. “Otherwise, everything is ready and issuances are still going on”, Lotha added.
