Guwahati: The Delhi High Court has accepted the assurance provided by the Manipur government to extend financial assistance to candidates from the hill districts who have opted for examination centers outside the state for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2024.
This assurance from the Manipur government follows a plea by the Zomi Student Federation urging the establishment of examination centers in the hill districts of Manipur for the said examination. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), responsible for organizing the exam, submitted an affidavit from the Manipur government expressing its inability to open examination centers in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts.
Considering the state government’s stance, the UPSC deemed it unfeasible to establish examination venues in these districts. Candidates from the hill districts of Manipur who have chosen Imphal as their examination center are now given the option to select from seven alternative centers, including Aizawl (Mizoram), Kohima (Nagaland), Shillong (Meghalaya), Dispur and Jorhat (Assam), Kolkata (West Bengal), and Delhi.
Advocate Pukhrambam Ramesh Kumar, representing the Manipur government, presented a letter dated March 27 from the Chief Secretary of the State, informing the court about the government’s decision to provide financial assistance to hill candidates. The assistance will cover reimbursement of transportation costs from the respective district headquarters to the examination center, with a cap at the 2nd class sleeper railway fare rates or the notified bus fare rate of the State. Additionally, candidates will receive a daily allowance of ₹1,000 for three days for food and accommodation.
Moreover, the State government will facilitate transportation within the district through the Deputy Commissioner’s office and will consider exceptional circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
The High Court, on March 28, emphasized that both the commission and the Manipur government are bound by the commitments made to the court. Consequently, it concluded the petition by the tribal student body seeking the establishment of examination centers in the hill districts.
The petition highlighted the challenges faced by candidates due to ethnic violence in the state, leading to a geographical and demographical separation between communities. Candidates from the hill districts often incur substantial expenses for travel, boarding, and lodging, as many come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and cannot afford private accommodations.
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