Editor,
It was heartbreaking to read of the tragic deaths of Dana Sangma from Meghalaya, studying in Gurgaon and Loitam Richard from Manipur, studying in Bangalore, in yesterday’s newspapers. Both of them were intelligent, talented, popular youth pursuing their higher studies at prestigious institutions. I looked at their Facebook pages: Richard has 573 friends, he has clear ideas and strong views, and no doubt stood up to those who harassed him. Dana has 1160 friends, is pleasant and ambitious. They were lovely young people, full of life, bright futures ahead of them.
Unfortunately, these stories happen with frightening regularity. The premature ending of these lives are a poignant testimony to the difficulties faced by students from the Northeast. When they leave home to study in Indian cities, they realize they are strangers in their own country. Their identity is sharply undisguisable, their lifestyle misinterpreted and their socializing misconstrued. The existence of the tribal in mainstream India is circumscribed by labels and stereotypes and a misunderstanding of the tribal culture and worldview. In mainland India, this misunderstanding has escalated to discrimination and harassment and students and women from the region bear the brunt of this prejudice. I once saw a picture in a Bangalore newspaper of a group of students sitting on the pavement, denied admission to an institute even though they had paid the fees. They were victims of a tout who had run off with the money. From their faces, I could make out that they were from the Northeast.
Ironically on the same day as the story of these deaths, there was a seminar in Shillong on “Mental Health in Adolescence” conducted for principals and teachers. The psychological and emotional burdens of youth facing the physical, mental and social transition to adulthood were described by psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and school counselors. The need to provide psychological support to our youth was emphasized over and over again by teachers during the discussion. We have neither enough trained professionals nor sufficient expert services. But San-ker, Bethany Society and MLCU have initiated an effort to provide community mental health services through a project funded by the Hans Foundation.
We should set up a helpdesk for students planning to study outside the Northeast. This helpdesk could provide information about institutions around the country and assist with application procedures. More importantly, professional counselors could make them aware of the challenges they would face and provide advice about coping with these difficulties. For women students, the dangers of harassment and molestation and strategies for personal safety would be stressed. The helpdesk office could also compile data on students outside the state and provide a measure of monitoring.
It is heartening to note that the Chief Minister has stressed the need for quality institutions in the state. Shillong has good colleges for arts, science and commerce. But professional institutions are lacking and this should be a priority. We hear that new medical and technical institutions are in the pipeline and the government should be commended for these efforts. Universities and colleges of repute which are already in existence could be provided support for new professional courses through PPP models.
To concretize and sustain these ideas and efforts, a conducive policy environment is needed. The concern and welfare of our youth need to be reflected in a coherent youth policy, education policy and health policy that brings into convergence a focus on youth. Government must take the lead, local institutions and organizations will surely join in to contribute their interest and expertise. The lives of our youth are precious.
Yours etc.,
Glenn C Kharkongor
MLC University
Humiliation for how long?
Editor,
The news item “CM’s niece dies in mysterious circumstances” appearing in your newspaper (ST April 26, 2012) is disturbing but not shocking. My heart goes out to the Chief Minster and I convey my sincere and heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family members. This is not the first time that students of North East are subjected to this kind of humiliation. One of my friends who studied in a university in Pune had also gone through similar experiences some years ago. She was forced to admit to have cheated in her exam when she did exceedingly well in all her papers (in fact she did better than the rest of her classmates). When she protested she was threatened with dire consequences by the college authorities.
Even in this particular incident where the CM’s niece had to lose her life, some of the national media- both print and electronic-highlighted the deceased as a cheat (she was accused of violating the examination rules by bringing her mobile phone to the exam hall and is alleged to have been caught red-handed by the invigilator while turning on the internet on looking at it). For thousands of other students from NE, being subjected to such discrimination has become a daily routine..
Now that it has come to the home of none other than the Chief Minister of the state it is time for our leaders to think differently and do something immediately to plug thousands of students going out of the state in search of better quality education, by opening better educational institutions in the state and saving our own people from facing further humiliations at the hands of those who do not understand our culture and practices.
I appeal the honourable Chief Minister to not only “come up with an idea to set up residential schools in every block of the state to bring about quality education to every nook and corner of Meghalaya” (ST, Tura, Thursday, April 26, 2012) but to take concrete and immediate steps to establish at least three such schools (at Garo Hills, Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills) in the state so that the parents of Meghalaya would not have to send their children to different parts of the country and thereby placing their children at great risk.
Yours etc.,
NR Marak,
Tura