Titabor parents prioritise Feb-24 mega Jhumur event over HS exams for daughters

Jorhat, Feb 17: Two meritorious students from a school in Titabar were prevented from appearing for their Higher Secondary final examination by their parents, out of fear that they would be excluded from the historic Mega Jhumur event, scheduled for February 24.

The father of the two girls, who are enrolled at Sri Sri Kamalabari Higher Secondary School, defended his decision, saying, “Jhumur is an integral part of our identity, and this year, it is being recognised on a global stage. This is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for my daughters, and I didn’t want them to miss it.”

The father, Shravan Kumar Tanti, further added that since his daughters are young, they would get another chance to appear for the higher secondary examinations next year.

“We feared that if we informed the school about their eligibility for the Higher Secondary exams, they might be denied participation in the Mega Jhumur event. So, we didn’t inform the school authorities,” he told The Assam Tribune.

Dismissing claims that financial incentives motivated his decision, he added, “Some people are saying that I stopped them for the Rs 25,000 compensation given by the government, but that is not true. My daughters have been performing Jhumur since childhood, and their passion for the dance is what led me to allow them to take part.”

The incident, which occurred at Basabari Tea Estate in Jorhat district, has sparked widespread reactions in tea-dominated areas. Many argue that while Jhumur is an essential part of the community’s heritage, it should not come at the cost of academic progress.

The Assam Tea Tribe Students' Association (ATSA) has strongly condemned the move, calling for an inquiry into the alleged mismanagement of the selection committee responsible for the event.

ATSA officials expressed concern over the impact of such incidents on the academic progress of the tea community.

“We appreciate the government’s efforts to bring Jhumur to the global stage, but due to serious mismanagement by the master trainer and the selection committee, two promising students were deprived of appearing for their Higher Secondary exams. This is a setback for the tea community’s education, and we urge the authorities to conduct an inquiry into the selection process to prevent such discrepancies in the future,” an office-bearer said.

While the Mega Jhumur event is being hailed as a proud moment for Assam’s cultural heritage, incidents like these highlight the need for a more structured approach to balancing education and cultural representation.