The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued notice to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on a plea by Zomi Students Federation seeking to set up examination centres in the hill districts of Manipur for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination.
The court also issued notice to the Union and Manipur governments on the petition by the tribal student body for setting up examination centres in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi in the border State, which has seen protracted ethnic violence since May last year, also for the Indian Forest Service (Preliminary) Examination scheduled to be held on May 26.
As per UPSC’s notification issued in February, Imphal is the only centre in Manipur where the preliminary examination could be taken.
Suggested three centres
The UPSC’s counsel told the court that the commission has already written three letters to the Manipur chief secretary with respect to opening of examination centres in Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Ukhrul but no response has been received yet.
The counsel said the State’s stand has been sought on the feasibility of the proposal for opening additional exam centres in Manipur. The counsel said the commission has to work closely with the State government to make adequate arrangements for holding the examinations.
The tribal student body stated that the ethnic violence in the State “has resulted in complete geographical and demographical separation between the majority Meitei community and Kuki-Zo tribals”.
The plea said “owing to such a situation, the candidates are forced to opt for other nearest centres in other States such as Aizawl which is more than 300-450 kilometres away through inhospitable roads from the hill districts and requires the candidates to incur huge expenditure for travel, boarding and lodging”.
The plea also said as most candidates in these regions are from a poor economic background, they do not have the means to stay in hotels/private accommodations.
“As a cumulative effect of these factors, a number of students from tribal regions would not be able to take the CSE – Preliminary examinations in case adequate alternative measures are not put in place,” the plea said.
The court has posted the case for hearing on May 19.
