Children displaced by violence in Manipur watch television at a relief camp in Imphal. (Image: PTI/Rishikesh Kumar)
Minister of state for education, Annapurna Devi told the upper house of parliament that 93.5 percent of the displaced students have been admitted to the nearest feasible school free of cost
A total of 14,763 children enrolled in schools were displaced in the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, of which the highest belong to Churachandpur district. It witnessed the maximum devastation when riots broke out on May 3 and, out of the total displaced students, 93.5 percent have been admitted to the nearest feasible school, the education ministry told Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Replying to a question, minister of state (MoS) for education Annapurna Devi said as per information provided by the state government in Manipur, 14,763 schoolchildren have been displaced in Manipur.
“A nodal officer has been appointed for each relief camp to facilitate the admission process of displaced students. At least 93.5 percent of displaced students have been admitted to the nearest feasible school, free of cost,” the minister said in a written reply.
According to data shared by the MoS, out of the 12 violence-hit districts in the northeastern state, Churachandpur reported the highest number of displaced students at 4,099. This is followed by Kangpokpi (2,822), Bishnupur (2,063), Imphal East (2,053), Imphal West (1,342) and Kakching (1,044).
Some districts, where the number of displaced students readmitted to schools is less than 100 percent include – Ukhrul (68.9 percent), Kangpokpi (72.7 percent), Tengnoupal (95.9 percent), Churachandpur (98.4 percent) and Kakching (99.1 percent).
The Delhi government, meanwhile, had last week issued guidelines to its education department to allow displaced students from Manipur provisional admission to its schools, thereby easing the procedure to get in. A large number of students and their families, having escaped the violence in their home state, moved to the national capital over the past two months.
Also, for those enrolled in higher education, the Manipur government on July 7 launched the ‘Chief Minister’s College Students Rehabilitation Scheme (CMCSRS) 2023’, allowing displaced and affected undergraduate college students of the state to continue their studies by having them transferred to different colleges.
The scheme covers around 51 colleges in the state, including 34 government-run and 17 aided institutions from the 2023-24 academic session. The scheme will allow facilitation of transfer of students from the present college to another one, as per their request, while waiving off the admission fee.
