Manipur: Students bodies demand immediate appointment of regular VC at Dhanamanjuri University, warn of agitation

A coalition of six student organizations has jointly called for the immediate appointment of a regular Vice-Chancellor (VC) at Dhanamanjuri University (DMU), warning of intensified protests if their demand remains unmet.  

The student groups, including the Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM), Apunba Ireipaki Maheiroi Sinpanglup (AIMS), Manipuri Students Federation (MSF), Kangleipak Students Association (KSA), and Students’ Union of Kangleipak (SUK), voiced their concerns during a press conference held at the DESAM office.  

DESAM spokesperson Mayengbam Somorjit stated that despite an order issued by the former DMU registrar on July 10 to appoint a regular VC, no concrete action has been taken. Highlighting the prolonged absence of stable leadership, he said, “Since its establishment in 2018, DMU has only had one regular VC, Prof. Rajmohon. Following his retirement, bureaucrats have intermittently managed the post, causing significant inconvenience and jeopardizing students' careers.”  

Somorjit also reflected on the initial optimism surrounding DMU’s formation. The DMU Act was passed in 2017, and the university was established in 2018 with hopes of elevating higher education in the state. “People applauded the government’s initiative, expecting positive changes in academics, but the current state of DMU has shattered those expectations,” he remarked.  

He further criticized the university's declining standards, noting that constituent colleges such as DM College of Science, DM College of Arts, DM College of Commerce, and GP Women’s College, once regarded as premier institutions in Manipur and the Northeast, have lost their academic reputation under DMU. “Students and guardians have lost faith in the university,” he alleged.  

The absence of a regular VC has led to administrative inefficiencies and declining academic standards, the student groups asserted. They cautioned that the state government, ministers, and concerned authorities would bear full responsibility for any consequences arising from continued inaction.