The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), Delhi & NCR, has strongly condemned the Manipur Public Service Commission’s (MPSC) decision to shift the venue of its upcoming main examination to Guwahati, Assam, excluding conflict-affected regions like Churachandpur from the list of exam centres. The student body has termed the move “unjust, exclusionary, and burdensome,” especially for aspirants displaced by the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur. In a formal representation submitted to the Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the KSO raised alarm over what it described as a serious act of educational injustice. Signed by KSO President Paojakhup Guite and Education Secretary Kerry Janggoulen Khongsai, the letter noted that the displacement of the exam centre outside the state places a severe emotional and financial burden on Kuki aspirants, many of whom are already struggling to rebuild their lives amid widespread violence and insecurity.
“This decision appears both unjust and burdensome for the affected students. Many are already enduring unimaginable challenges due to displacement and trauma. Travelling far from home to Guwahati adds a layer of hardship that could have been avoided had Churachandpur been considered a viable examination centre,” the KSO stated.The organisation asserted that the move undermines the principle of equitable access to education and is a blow to the constitutional rights of students from marginalized communities. The exclusion of Churachandpur — a district with a significant population of Kuki-Zo communities — has further deepened concerns among the student body about perceived systemic bias and neglect. KSO leaders called on the Governor to intervene immediately and instruct MPSC to include Churachandpur as an official examination centre for the current recruitment cycle. They argued that logistical feasibility and humanitarian grounds both justify the need for the change, particularly in the context of ongoing ethnic tensions and displacement in the state.
“If this request is not heeded, Kuki students across Delhi and other parts of the country may see this as an attempt to suppress the educational aspirations of an already marginalised community,” the letter warned, adding that the failure to act may fuel further alienation among youth from the hill districts. The KSO emphasized that competitive examinations should remain apolitical and neutral platforms for merit-based selection and opportunity. They urged the Government to ensure that the civil services remain accessible to all communities regardless of their ethnic or geographic background.
