Mon Dec 02 14:08:35 UTC 2024: ## Manipur Kuki Students Demand Local Exam Center Amidst Ongoing Violence

**GUWAHATI, December 2, 2024** – The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) has urged the National Testing Agency (NTA) to establish a University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) examination center in Churachandpur district, Manipur, citing safety concerns for Kuki-Zo students. The ongoing ethnic violence in the state makes travel to the existing center in Imphal, approximately 60 km away, extremely dangerous.

Over 300 Kuki-Zo students face the prospect of missing the January 2025 UGC-NET exams due to the volatile situation. The nearest alternative, Aizawl (Mizoram), is 360 km away, requiring students to spend over ₹10,000 on travel and accommodation – an unaffordable expense for many. Previous exam experiences have demonstrated the significant travel risks, with some students unable to reach their exam centers due to roadblocks.

The KSO highlighted Churachandpur as a relatively peaceful and central location, offering a viable and safe alternative. They proposed a solution allowing candidates to change their exam center preference through a correction window opening December 12th. The organization stressed the urgent need for equitable access to education and warned that failing to address this issue would disenfranchise many students. The letter to NTA Senior Director (Examination) Sadhana Parashar emphasized the perilous situation facing Kuki-Zo students and the necessity of a local exam center under these extraordinary circumstances.

Read More