A meeting of deans and head of depts convened today.
Immediately after assuming charge as the new Vice-Chancellor (VC) in-charge Prof Amar Yumnam today swung into action by meeting representatives of Manipur University Teachers Association and convening a meeting of all heads of departments and deans tomorrow to deal with reservation stalemate.
Prof Amar Yumnam of Economics department assumed the charge of VC in-charge of Manipur University after the VC in-charge Prof Th Jekendra of physics department resigned yesterday.
Jekendra is the second VC in-charge to step down since October 4. On that day the then VC in-charge M Dhaneshwar resigned.
Sources in the university said Prof Amar reviewed the prevailing situation with a delegation of Manipur University Teachers Association to thrash out a solution to the present reservation impasse.
Before the meeting a general body meeting of the teachers association discussed the developments on the campus. All classes had been suspended indefinitely since October 4 after students agitation turned violent.
The new VC in-charge also convened a meeting with head of departments and deans at 11 am tomorrow to devise a mechanism that break the ice.
Uncertainty continued to prevail on the campus today with volunteers of JAC formed against implementation of the State Reservation Policy in the university resorted to complete shutdown of the university while another 150 students surrendered their identity cards before new VC in-charge today.
Speaking to IFP, Prof Amar said as there is already an Academic Council’s resolution “we will discuss the matter tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, JAC agitators submitted a memorandum during the MUTA meeting appealing to the teachers to respect and stand their decisions during AC’s resolution taken on October 8 which was again confirmed on
October 11.
Students against the implementation of the State Reservation Policy have been undergoing relay hunger strike since October 17 with an ultimatum to undergo fast-unto-death agitation from tomorrow.
Co-convenor cum media convenor of the JAC Saratchandra Haobijm said “as there will be a meeting for all HODs and Deans tomorrow, we will hold on our decision to undergo fast-unto-death from tomorrow till 12.30 noon. If the meeting’s outcome turns out to be negative, we will continue our agitation till we meet our demand.”
Without students, teaching and non-teaching staffs, the university today wore a deserted look.
A team of University Grant Commission visited the university to take stock of the situation on Wednesday. The UGC visit reportedly came after the Academic Council sought the opinion of the President Pranab Mukherjee, who is also the visitor of the university.
Source: Imphal Free Press
