Manipur: DMU Students’ Hunger Strike Enters Seventh Day Over Pending PhD Stipends
Imphal: The indefinite hunger strike launched by the Dhanamanjuri University Students’ Union (DMU-SU) entered its seventh day on Tuesday, with students demanding the immediate release of long-pending stipends for PhD scholars.
The protest, supported by the 2005–2006 cohort, was started by research scholars who alleged that stipends have remained unpaid since the PhD programme was introduced.
Konsam Premjit, president of the Democratic Youth Front (DYF), urged the Manipur Government to intervene and resolve the issue, stressing the need to support higher education and research.
Premjit said no government representative had so far met the protesting students to discuss their demands. He cited a Manipur Gazette notification dated October 30, 2017, which provides for stipends for PhD research scholars, but alleged that scholars have not received the financial assistance.
He also said the 2022 batch of PhD scholars remains without stipends.
The students had earlier submitted representations and letters seeking government intervention. University officials also met Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on July 30 and were reportedly assured that the pending stipends would be released in the first week of September. However, the assurance was not fulfilled, Premjit said.
The issue was also raised by the Opposition during the recent Assembly session, where the government reportedly cited a shortage of funds for the delay.
Premjit criticised the explanation, saying PhD scholars face significant expenses for laboratory materials, technology, fieldwork, reports and research publications. He said the proposed Rs 8,000 monthly stipend was intended only to ease part of the financial burden on researchers.
He argued that the continued failure to release even this limited assistance raises concerns over the government’s commitment to higher education and research in Manipur.
