Imphal: Social activist Asem Roshan is calling for a formal investigation into staff appointments at Pravabati College in Mayang Imphal. He claims college officials rigged the process to secure jobs for unqualified individuals. He wants the Directorate of University and Higher Education to rerun the entire screening.
The trouble started on March 13, 2024. Former Principal Gurumayum Premchand Sharma submitted 17 names for approval after the school gained aided status. Roshan claims the list relied on fake start dates and joining records. He gathered this proof using the Right to Information Act, Manipur University statistics, and Directorate files. The documents show the college ignored basic hiring rules. Employees failed to meet educational standards set by the University Grants Commission and the Manipur Government College Lecturer Recruitment Rules of 1989, 1997, and 1998.
Roshan points to a 2017 High Court ruling as his primary evidence. In the case of Irom Sophia Devi vs. State of Manipur, the court slammed the government for relaxing qualification requirements in aided colleges. "The Court had ruled that educational qualifications for appointments in aided colleges could not be relaxed and had set aside the Government order dated November 22, 2016, granting such relaxation," Roshan said. He argues that the college ignored this precedent, favoring unqualified staff while Ph.D. holders remain out of work.
The activist insists these hires violate the Manipur Education Code of 1982. He says the state uses different rules for aided schools than for government colleges, leading to total chaos. He wants the state to step in and fix the mess immediately.
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