K Nishena Nekha
The protests against the imposition of Meiteilong (Manipuri) as the instructional and textbook language among the Naga inhabited schools of Manipur were understandable. But the manner in which the protests were carried out by way of tearing and burning the books in the middle of the academic session was reckless and an act of self-victimization. Losing textbooks to bonfire does not in any way provide the reason for the NBSE to grant affiliation to their schools. The matter of affiliation with the NBSE should have been settled first, and till the time it was done those schools of the four hill districts could have continued with the usual system.
Mass exodus of students from the four hill districts of Manipur to schools in and around Dimapur and Kohima has roused enough speculation among the Nagas. This extraordinary concession on the part of the humanitarian schools and the watching NBSE by allowing the admission at the fag end of the academic year has flouted all the established norms of admission and registration. And it is not the it’s-ok-lower classes but the Board examination candidates. The NBSE and the foster schools will justify their action pointing to nothing else but ‘abnormal situation’ the hapless students were in. Now that things are irreversible, the NBSE will have to be smart enough to prepare logistic support to accommodate the almost one-fourth extra HSLC candidates within some days for their final examinations.
The core of the issue is the affiliation. There are misconceptions and apprehensions even for unlikely consequences about granting affiliation to the Nagas’ schools of Manipur. Some people consider the state government’s willingness to grant affiliation to those schools as allowing outsiders’ intrusion into our family. I believe this discussion will get some doubts clarified.
FACT NO 1. The 42nd amendment of the Indian constitution, 1976, had placed education in the Concurrent List. Before that, education was a State subject with certain provisions for the safeguard of the interests of the minorities, including scheduled tribes. By this new amendment both the Centre and the states can legislate on any aspect of education from the primary to the university level. But in the event of any dispute the Centre has an overriding authority. This means the Centre can impose directly any policy or rule in the states. The matter of affiliating schools of the Naga-dominated districts in Manipur with the NBSE entails political ramifications. And this issue will need political will for settlement. Otherwise, one does not see much reason to oppose the move.
FACT NO 2. Suppose some schools from the state of Manipur got affiliated with the NBSE, that does not mean the students of those schools have become the bonafide citizens of Nagaland. For that matter, students of a school in Nagaland having affiliated with the MBOSE (Meghalaya Board of School Education) do not become the indigenous citizens of Meghalaya. Or, a school in Nagaland having affiliated with the CBSE in Delhi does not mean its students should go to Delhi for their share of employment because they passed HSSLC under the CBSE system. To affiliate a school or a college with any board or university is purely to study its syllabus and to be evaluated under its examination system and standard leading to obtaining its certificate or degree.
FACT NO 3. Quota of seats for technical, medical or engineering studies are reserved for the officially identified indigenous Naga tribes and wards of the state government’s employees. It depends on the state government’s policy whether to allow or disallow any person who studied under the NBSE to have the legal rights to claim his seat for such studies. But so far that is not the policy.
FACT NO 4. The amount for Post Matric Scholarship is not fixed. Any student belonging to a scheduled tribe in India is entitled for this scheme. The sanction decreases or increases depending on the number of applicants in a particular academic year. As such, sharing of the stipend money for the Nagas with others does not arise. If the Naga students of Manipur are entitled for Post Matric Scholarship, they can apply for it wherever they study.
FACT NO 5. Merit is merit. It can go to anybody irrespective of caste, creed or state of origin. The first topper of HSLC may go to a Bihari or an Angami or a Mao. Yes of course, small is better sometimes, and prospect of winning in a competition is higher when competitors are less in number. But factually speaking, the fear of others’ prospect of sharing the merit in our HSLC examination can not be an obstacle to affiliation of any school of neighbouring states with the NBSE.
I am not in favour or against the affiliation of those schools in Manipur with the NBSE, but only trying to share the facts, and in doing so, allay some myths and apprehensions.
