Dimasa student bodies demand 100% seat quota for indigenous students at DIET Kalachand

Haflong, Sept 1: The Maibang district committee of the Dimasa Students’ Union (DSU) and the All Dimasa Students’ Union’s (ADSU’s) Maibang zonal committee have issued a second and ‘final’ ultimatum to the principal of the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Kalachand, demanding 100 per cent reservation of seats for local indigenous students in the Diploma in Elementary Education (D El Ed) and the Bachelor of Education (B Ed) courses.

In a memorandum dated August 30, the student bodies emphasised that DIET, Kalachand, is the only institution in the Sixth Schedule district of Dima Hasao that offers teacher education programmes. They argued that given the unique constitutional status and demographic composition of the district, indigenous students must be accorded priority access to the teacher training courses.

The unions pointed out that four rounds of talks had already been held with the authorities earlier this month – on August 7, 11, 14, and finally on August 20 – which included the participation of the joint director and controller of examinations of SCERT, Guwahati. Despite these meetings, the student bodies claimed, no concrete assurance has been provided by either DIET or SCERT.

To press their demand, DSU and ADSU members staged a peaceful protest on Saturday, reiterating their call for full reservation of seats. They have also set a deadline for the authorities to take appropriate action.

“If our demand is not fulfilled by the stipulated time, we will be compelled to launch an indefinite agitation against DIET and the authorities concerned, including protests, sit-ins, and other democratic means, until justice is served,” the memorandum stated.

The student unions emphasised that their agitation is aimed at safeguarding the educational rights of the indigenous communities of Dima Hasao and warned that any further delay could result in widespread student unrest.

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