Tribal students demand for more quota in MU

Imphal, Mar 3 (UNI) The Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has supported the stand of the Manipur University Tribal Students Union (MUTSU) and other students bodies demanding more quota for tribals in admission and recruitment in the Manipur University (MU).

The MUTSU had threatened to call for withdrawal of all tribal students from the university if more seats were not allotted.

The Manipur University is a central university, hence it follows UGC norms in the reservation of SC and ST candidates.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh assured to send a delegation to New Delhi within this month to apprise the Central leaders about the demands of the tribal students in the state.

The tribals constitute about 34 per cent of the total population in the state and they are demanding 34 per cent reservation.

The university had also taken up the issue with Union Minister Arjun Singh and with the officials of the Ministry of Human Resources Development.

The university has been instructed by the Ministry to follow the Centre's reservation norms strictly.

The university has therefore provided for reservation of 15 per cent seats for SC and 7.5 per cent seats for ST students, Public Relations Officer of Manipur University M Saratchandra said.

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