Hold all MPSC exams in Manipur’s valley, hill districts: SC panel

A Supreme Court-appointed committee has mandated that all examinations conducted by the Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) must take place in both the valley and hill districts of the state. This directive comes after the committee found that security concerns were preventing aspiring candidates from reaching examination centers located in the valley areas.

The committee, tasked with monitoring relief and rehabilitation in violence-affected Manipur, also addressed demands for rebuilding tribal villages and churches damaged during the recent ethnic clashes. While the Manipur government reported that housing reconstruction schemes are in progress, no specific policy or plan has yet been established for the reconstruction of churches or other religious buildings.

Furthermore, the committee reviewed the status of ex gratia compensation provided to families of those killed in the ethnic violence. Reports indicate that the state government has disbursed ₹10 lakh to the next of kin of 217 deceased individuals. This compensation package, equally contributed by the central and state governments, includes members from both the Kuki and Meitei communities.

These developments are detailed in Reports No. 45 and 46, submitted by the committee headed by former Jammu and Kashmir chief justice Gita Mittal. The reports were acknowledged by a Supreme Court bench on May 27. Manipur has been grappling with ethnic violence since May 2023, leading to a deep divide between the Kuki and Meitei communities, with the former largely residing in the hills and the latter in the valley. Despite a change in government, the situation remains tense, with communities largely confined to their respective regions.

Report No. 46 specifically addressed representations from organizations in Churachandpur, a de facto Kuki capital, seeking the establishment of MPSC examination centers in hill areas. Candidates from tribal districts had reported facing threats to their safety when traveling to valley-based centers due to ongoing ethnic tensions, hindering their ability to participate in examinations.