Visionless and headless DMU Forcing students to protest
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Visionless and now headless as well as armless. This in short should sum up the present state of Dhanamanjuri University, a State university which became functional in 2018 after the State Assembly passed the Dhanamanjuri University Act in 2017. DM College of Arts, DM College of Science, DM College of Commerce and Ghanapriya College came together under DM University to give Manipur a State University and it was with a sense of hope and optimism that many hailed the birth of DM University. The question back then was whether the new university would be able to rekindle the past spark of DM College, a college which is today synonymous as the place which moulded many of Manipur’s who is who. From the days when DM College catered to the needs of the students in their Intermediate stage to the Pre-University Course days, the said institute had carved a name for itself and as old timers used to say it was one of the better colleges to be reckoned with in the North East region, spoken in the same breath as Cotton College of Guwahati. This was when DM College was at its peak and attracted the best from amongst the students who had just finished their HSLC stage and many saw the convergence of the three DM Colleges with GP College as perhaps another step taken to revive the glory of the past. Fast forward to 2024 and six years down the line, since DMU started functioning, and the story would be vastly different from the initial enthusiasm with which the State university was set up. Today students of DMU are not talking about excellence or going ahead with their academic pursuit but are more, and rightfully so, concerned with mundane but critical things like whether they would be in the position to pursue their higher studies at other universities in the face of the fact that exams have not been held much less talk about getting their results. Instead of soaking in the academic ambience of the temple of learning, instead of picking up new things which can go some way in moulding their character and ready them to face the world, students of DM University today are being constrained to launch a relay hunger strike, demanding of all things, a regular Vice Chancellor, a regular Registrar and the needed number of non-teaching staff. Instead of the Chief Minister or the Education Minister convening a meeting to discuss the unfolding development at DM University, it was the Governor who felt constrained to call a meeting with the Education Minister and Education Commissioner to discuss the administration and development of DM University. This should say something profound and not something which would have missed the eyes and ears of any keen observer.
Making the meeting convened by the Governor all that more interesting is the fact that all the points or answers could be clubbed under the understanding of the terms, ‘will be declared soon; is in progress and advertisement for the same will be issued shortly; arrangement for appointment of a new Registrar is on.’ These were the inputs given to the Governor when questions were asked on the results of the recruitment exams for appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff; appointment of a new Vice Chancellor etc. The price to be paid for the ‘in the process and very soon’ answer will be exacted from the young students and what is at stake here is their future. Certainly not the way to go about addressing the need of higher education and certainly not the way how a university should be run and managed. Two months have already gone by since the last VC of DMU, Professor Rajmohun retired and it is a bit baffling that even after a lapse of more than 60 days the State Government is yet to find anyone who can be his replacement. How about naming a new Registrar ? What is stopping the Government from naming the new VC and Registrar ? And why should students feel compelled to come out on the streets and lodge their protest ? All questions for which the Government should answer. The ‘in the process; advertisement etc will be issued soon,’ inputs given to the Governor during the meeting to discuss the DM University issue does not inspire confidence at all. This is certainly not how an institution of higher learning should be run and managed. The legacy of DM College should not be forgotten. Lethargy, incompetence and unwillingness to march with the demand of the time is writ large and in many ways this is also a reflection of where the State Government has put education in its scheme of things and this is not pretty.
Making the meeting convened by the Governor all that more interesting is the fact that all the points or answers could be clubbed under the understanding of the terms, ‘will be declared soon; is in progress and advertisement for the same will be issued shortly; arrangement for appointment of a new Registrar is on.’ These were the inputs given to the Governor when questions were asked on the results of the recruitment exams for appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff; appointment of a new Vice Chancellor etc. The price to be paid for the ‘in the process and very soon’ answer will be exacted from the young students and what is at stake here is their future. Certainly not the way to go about addressing the need of higher education and certainly not the way how a university should be run and managed. Two months have already gone by since the last VC of DMU, Professor Rajmohun retired and it is a bit baffling that even after a lapse of more than 60 days the State Government is yet to find anyone who can be his replacement. How about naming a new Registrar ? What is stopping the Government from naming the new VC and Registrar ? And why should students feel compelled to come out on the streets and lodge their protest ? All questions for which the Government should answer. The ‘in the process; advertisement etc will be issued soon,’ inputs given to the Governor during the meeting to discuss the DM University issue does not inspire confidence at all. This is certainly not how an institution of higher learning should be run and managed. The legacy of DM College should not be forgotten. Lethargy, incompetence and unwillingness to march with the demand of the time is writ large and in many ways this is also a reflection of where the State Government has put education in its scheme of things and this is not pretty.