The Supreme Court of India has mandated the Manipur government to provide Rs 3,000 per day to Civil Services aspirants from the state's violence-affected hill districts.
This financial aid is intended to facilitate their travel outside Manipur to sit for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination scheduled for May 26.
A special bench, including Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, convened at 6.50 pm on Monday, May 13, to address the concerns of these candidates. The aspirants, fearing for their safety, had chosen examination centres outside Manipur.
"The persons who are presently residing in hill districts and applied for the UPSC examination shall be paid Rs 3,000 per day per candidate so as to enable such candidates to travel outside the state to attend the examination. Any candidate desirous of obtaining this benefit should indicate the nodal officer where they are currently staying on the email address as provided in this order," the bench stated.
The Supreme Court's hearing responded to a plea filed on behalf of 140 students requesting a change of examination centres outside Manipur.
Previously, the Manipur High Court had directed the state government to provide Rs 1,500 per day to candidates opting for exam centres outside the state. However, acknowledging the impracticality of arranging transportation for all candidates, the Supreme Court increased this allowance to Rs 3,000 per day, thereby disposing of the plea.
Earlier developments revealed that on March 29, the UPSC informed the Delhi High Court about its decision to allow candidates from Manipur's hill districts, who had chosen Imphal as their exam centre, to change their centres. The state government was to assist with their travel. Candidates were offered alternative centres in Aizawl (Mizoram), Kohima (Nagaland), Shillong (Meghalaya), Dispur (Assam), Jorhat (Assam), Kolkata (West Bengal), and Delhi, with requests for changes accepted via email from April 8 to 19.
The UPSC highlighted that due to the Manipur government's inability to establish examination centres in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, it was not feasible to hold the exams in these locations.
Manipur has been engulfed in violence since May 2023, following a high court order directing the state government to consider granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the non-tribal Meitei community. This decision sparked widespread ethnic clashes, resulting in over 160 deaths and several hundred injuries. The violence erupted on May 3 during a Tribal Solidarity March in the hill districts, protesting the Meitei community's demand for ST status.