V R Horam
Successive Governments in Manipur have been formulating policies after policies to suit the interest of the people in power during their respective period. For every interview or DPC held for filling up any Govt. vacant posts, a new RR is drafted to suit the candidate (S) he/they have in mind. For these powerful people, there is nothing to stop them from doing what they want, wether it is right or wrong. What they want is right for them.
Very often, in this kind of free power exercise, the most underprivileged people, the Tribals and the minorities become the victims. In a very skilled manipulation, the reservation quota of the scheduled Tribe & Scheduled Caste are systematically looted by the Generals. This becomes possible because their people are in the top position in almost all the departments. Even among the policy makers in the Govt. including the Legislative Assembly and the Cabinet.
To have a clear understanding of the matter, some incidents may be cited. In the 100 point roster, 1/3 is reserved for the ST and 1-2 % for the SC. If 10 vacancies are to be filled up, there has to be 3 seats minimum reserved for the ST candidates. In order to deprive the ST Candidates of their share, the manipulators notify only 5 vacancies. In this case, there will be only one (1) reserve seat for ST. After some time another 5 vacancies are notified in the same condition. This way, one reserved quota of the ST is systematically taken away by the Generals. If the vacancy is 4 they notify for 2 at a time, and claiming that it is not reserved as the number is less than 3. Later, they notify for the remaining 2 vacancies in the same manner resulting in total violation of the tribals rights.
This way, all the appointments and promotions of Govt. Departments are filled up by the Generals even in most of the tribal reserved posts. This is amply proved by the present number of employees serving under the Govt. of Manipur. According to the 100 point roster, if all the appointment process followed, minimum 1/3 of the total employees of the State should be Tribals and 1-2 percent SC. But due to the expert manipulation, today, out of the total 98,000 plus employees, only less than 14,000 are tribals. If 1/3 reservation policy was followed, there should have been not less than 32,350 tribal employees.
To add salt to the already bleeding wound, the State Govt. also manipulates maximum when they conduct entrance exams for Medical, Engineering etc. to be selected as Govt. nominees. A clear example which remains very much alive till date is that of the 2003 exam. for selection of MBBS/BDS courses. The Manipur Govt. through its concerned department had invited application from prospective candidates vide their Notification No. 104/1/2003-DHS dated 10/6/2003 under the relevant provision of Manipur MBBS/BDS Entrance Examination Rules 1993. The last date for receipt of application was 21st June, 2003 and the entrance test was held on 29th June, 2003.
In the mean time, the manipulative nature of the State Govt. became active again and initiated for amendment of the then existing Rules of 1993. The newly manipulated rules, 2003 was then published in the Gazette in the eve of the entrance exam. dating back as 25th June, 2003. In the manipulated rules, they added two clauses which were never the practice in any of the earlier exams. which say that the minimum qualifying pass mark for the Generals - 50% and 40% for the ST. The 2nd and more discriminating manipulation the new rule said was that the reserved seats of ST/SC should be dereserved and that Generals can fill up the seats if the ST/SC candidates fail to secure 40% marks in the entrance test/exam. and vice versa. What is the meaning of saying dereserving ST reserved seats and vice versa ? Fully knowing that the tribals will not secure more marks than the Generals owing to the educational background, facilities etc. the manipulative words “Vice versa” was added.
As a result of this great manipulation, when the result was declared, the Generals tried to claim all the 17 reserved seats on the basis that they secure higher marks than the tribal candidates. Through this manipulative new rule that was notified much against provising of the then existing rule under which rule the entrance exam. was notified, the powerful majority people wanted to do away with all the tribal candidates. They wanted to nominate all the MBBS/BDS seats that is allotted to Manipur States all by one single community (Meitei).
Thanks to the timely intervention by the strong All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM), the State Govt. was made to change its stand on the question of negative marking. After signing an MoU between the ATSUM and the Chief Minister, the 17 reserved seats for the Tribals were filled by the top 17 tribal candidates and nominated to various Medical Colleges as State Govt. nominees beginning from 2003 - 2004 session. Now they have completed up to 4th Semester and studying in 5th Semester out of the total 9 Semesters for an MBBS/BDS Course.
Even at this point, some strong General people are trying to cut off the future of these 17 ST Students by going to the courts even up to Supreme Court claiming for their rights.
Well, the tribal people are never against anyone who has the merit as long as they do not encroach in the quota of the tribals. What worries the tribals are the manipulation and violation of tribal peoples’ rights by the people who claim to be the custodian of our rights that has been enshrined in the constitution of India. The powerful, the rich and the well to do majority people who are living in the plain of Manipur shout very load and clear that Integrity of Manipur should not be broken in any way. They say that they will go to any extend to safeguard its territories that plain and hill people are brothers and sisters, children of the same mother Manipur.
If that is the case why all these manipulation ? Why snatch away almost all the shares that belong to the tribals ? Why is it that all the Developmental funds meant for the hill areas are diverted to programs in the valley alone ? Why is it that no Maths and Science teachers want to teach in the Hill Schools inspite of the fact that they are appointed against ST quota under the manipulative condition that “no qualified ST Candidates were available? Why those teachers who were posted in the hill schools are transfered with post to the valley schools ? Why is it that there are 12 - 14 Maths and Science teachers in a high school in the valley whereas not a single Maths and Science teachers are available in most of the hill schools ?
This manipulative policy of the successive Manipur Govt. is not healthy. This have hurt the sentiments of the hill people to the extreme. If this trend continues, I’m afraid, that the tribals will come out openly on the streets and demand for separate administration altogether, nothing to do with the valley people. It will be wise on the part of the state Govt. and the majority community to think and mend their past mistake by filling up backlog vacancies in the Govt. jobs otherwise, they can expect for the most unexpected and strongest protest from the usually simple and uncomplaining tribal people.
