Sub-standard paper for publishing text books issue DESAM storms BOSEM office

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 12: Denouncing the procurement of sub-standard paper for printing textbooks, answer scripts and expressing apprehension that textbooks are unlikely to be available on time, DESAM volunteers today stormed the office of the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BOSEM).
A large group of DESAM volunteers marched from their Kei-shampat office to BOSEM office, Babupara.
As they reached the BOSEM office, police deployed in the area inter- vened and asked only a few of the student volunteers to go inside the BOSEM office. But the DESAM volunteers shouted slogans at the gate of BOSEM office.
A team of DESAM volunteers led by its president Mayengbam Somorjit were allowed to go inside the BOSEM office and they talked with the BOSEM Chairman, Secretary and the Controller of Examinations.
The DESAM team reportedly placed their concerns and demands before the BOSEM officials.  
Speaking to media persons, DESAM president Mayengbam Somorjit said that textbooks which should be given free of cost to schools affiliated to BOSEM under Samagra Shiksha for the academic session 2026 have not been printed to the required numbers.
The new academic session is set to commence in the coming days but no one is sure whether the textbooks will be available to students in time or not, Somorjit said.
He said that one principal factor for the delay in printing textbooks is the supply of sub-standard paper for printing the textbooks.
Pointing out that the supply of sub-standard paper is a big scam, DESAM earlier submitted a memorandum to the Governor urging for investigation into the scam by a high-level committee, he said.
However, both BOSEM and the PR administration have been acting completely indifferent to the issue even though the careers of lakhs of students are at stake, the DESAM president said.
He demanded that the particular firm(s) which supplied sub-standard paper for printing textbooks and answer scripts must be blacklisted. At the same time, a high-level committee must be constituted to probe the same, Somorjit said.
Moreover, BOSEM must ensure that textbooks are printed on papers of the prescribed quality (specifi- cations) and made available before the commencement of the academic session, he asserted.
If the textbooks are not available in time and the answer scripts of sub-standard paper are given to students during exams, BOSEM Chairman, Education (S) and the PR administration must be held accountable for any untoward incident resulting thereof.
He added that they will wait for BOSEM’s response.