NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has mandated that the Manipur government provide Rs 3000 per day to civil services aspirants from the state’s violence-affected hill districts for traveling outside the state to attend the UPSC civil services examination on May 26.
A bench comprising chief justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra recognized the concerns of aspirants from Manipur’s hill districts, who chose examination centres outside Manipur due to safety concerns.
“The individuals currently residing in hill districts and applying for the UPSC examination shall receive Rs 3000 per day per candidate to facilitate their travel outside the state for the examination. Any candidate wishing to avail this benefit should indicate their current location to the nodal officer via the provided email address,” the Supreme Court stated.
Petition of 140 Aspirants
The Supreme Court addressed a plea on behalf of 140 students seeking a transfer of examination centres outside Manipur.
During the proceedings, it was revealed that the Manipur government had been directed by the Delhi high court to provide Rs 1500 to candidates opting for examination centres outside Manipur.
“While arranging transportation for all candidates may not be feasible, we believe the allowance ordered by the high court should be increased to Rs 3000,” the CJI stated.
Earlier, on March 29, the UPSC informed the Delhi high court that candidates from Manipur’s hill districts opting for Imphal as their examination centre could change it, with the Manipur government facilitating their travel.
These aspirants were allowed to choose examination centres in Aizawl, Mizoram; Kohima, Nagaland; Shillong, Meghalaya; Dispur, Assam; Jorhat, Assam; Kolkata, West Bengal; and Delhi, by requesting a change of examination centre via email between April 8 and 19.
The UPSC clarified that since the Manipur government expressed its inability to open examination centres in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, it was not feasible to operate examination venues there for the UPSC examination.
Context of Manipur Violence
Manipur has been engulfed in violence since May 2023 following a high court order directing the state government to consider including the non-tribal Meitei community in the list of Scheduled Tribes, sparking widespread ethnic clashes.
Over 200 people have been killed and several hundred injured since violence initially erupted on May 3 during a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ organized in the hill districts to protest against the demand for Scheduled Tribe status by the majority Meitei community.