CM’s letter to Centre paves the way for students affected by Manipur violence
SHILLONG, Aug 14: The Ministry of Agriculture has agreed to the request of Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma to allow students from Meghalaya studying at Central Agriculture University (CAU), Imphal to continue their classes on the CAU campus in Ri-Bhoi district’s Kyrdemkulai.
An order from the CAU on August 14 said classes for the undergraduate batches of students from outside studying at the College of Agriculture and the College of Food Technology – both in Imphal – would be conducted through online mode. The order pertained to academic years 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23.
On August 7, Sangma handed over a letter to Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi, urging him to allow the relocation of Meghalaya’s students currently enrolled at CAU, Imphal, to help them pursue their education from the university’s Kyrdemkulai campus. Such an arrangement would help the students continue their education without further interruptions, he pointed out.
The CAU order on Monday said the arrangement has been made in view of the prevailing law-and-order situation in Manipur and on the basis of requests received from parents of the students and also from VIPs and government heads.
In a statement, CAU Registrar T.R. Sharma said Masters and PhD classes at the College of Agriculture would transition to online mode.
At the same time, the RAWE programme of the 2020-21 batch of BSc agriculture students would preferably be conducted in their respective home states.
MSc and PhD students of the College of Agriculture who have completed their course work shall complete or pursue their research work in nearby colleges of CAU/ICAR institute/KVK in their respective states in consultation with their major guides, the statement said.
Students who are in the final stages of completion of their theses for MSc or PhD degrees may complete or continue with their thesis writing in consultation with their assigned guides in order to timely completion of their degrees, the statement added.
Sangma’s letter to the Agriculture Ministry read: “While it is sincerely hoped that there will be an early resolution to the conflict (In Manipur), the government of Meghalaya is keen to ensure that its students are not disadvantaged due to the present conditions. Uncertainty in the schedule of classes and the inability to return to their campus will potentially affect the future of the students. Hence, your kind intervention is requested to impress upon the University authorities to make an interim arrangement for students of Meghalaya studying BSc. Agriculture in the 4th year, at the CAU, Imphal, to conduct their Rural Agriculture Work Experience (RAWE) Programme in Meghalaya itself, under the aegis of the CAU located at Kyrdemkulai, Meghalaya, which is itself a constituent college of CAU, Imphal.”