New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba has urged the Union government to ensure that Meitei Mayek is included in the Manipuri optional subject question papers conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
The issue was raised by the MP during Zero Hour in the ongoing Rajya Sabha session, drawing attention to what he described as a long-standing disadvantage faced by Manipuri language aspirants.
Manipuri Optional Paper Printed Only in Bengali Script
Highlighting the existing practice, Mr Sanajaoba pointed out that the UPSC currently prints the Manipuri optional question paper exclusively in Bengali script. While candidates are permitted to write their answers in either Bengali script or Meitei Mayek, the absence of Meitei Mayek in the question paper itself poses significant challenges.
According to the MP, many aspirants struggle to comprehend the questions, as they are no longer familiar with reading Bengali script fluently.
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Meitei Mayek Adopted Across Manipur’s Education System
Mr Sanajaoba emphasized that for nearly two decades, Meitei Mayek has been the primary script used across Manipur’s education system, spanning schools, colleges, and universities.
With the widespread replacement of Bengali script by Meitei Mayek in academic institutions, a large number of students now lack proficiency in reading Bengali script, putting them at a clear disadvantage during highly competitive examinations like the UPSC Civil Services.
Call for Fairness and Equal Opportunity
The Rajya Sabha MP appealed to the Union government and UPSC to take corrective steps by including Meitei Mayek alongside Bengali script in the Manipuri optional question papers.
He stressed that such a move would:
- Ensure fairness and equal opportunity for Manipuri language candidates
- Reflect the ground realities of language usage in Manipur
Align UPSC practices with contemporary educational standards in the state
Demand Gains Attention in Parliament
By raising the matter in Parliament, Mr Sanajaoba sought to bring national attention to the concerns of Manipuri aspirants and urged authorities to act swiftly so that no candidate is disadvantaged due to script-related barriers.
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