NESO urges NE states to create database of students studying outside region
NESO chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya calls on Northeast states to maintain a database of students studying outside the region to ensure their safety
AASU chief adviser Dr Samuijal Kumar Bhattacharya (Photo: @SamujjalBhatta / X)
Guwahati, Jan 13: The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) is of the view that the state governments of the region should create a database of the students who go to other states of the country for studies.
NESO chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya told The Assam Tribune that every year, thousands of students from the region go to other states in the country, but no state government has a database of them.
He said that a proper database should be maintained, and the governments of the region should get in touch with the governments of the states where the students went so that their safety and security can be ensured in times of need.
Bhattacharya pointed out that students of the North East have been facing racial abuse or even attacks for years, and this happened because of a lack of knowledge about the region. Most people in mainland India are unaware that there is a part of India beyond Kolkata.
To deal with the issue, the Central Government and all the state governments of the country should introduce geography, particularly the map of India, in the school curriculum.
“The students of the North East know about the other states of the country, but the students of mainland India rarely know about the North East, which is very unfortunate,” he said.
The NESO chief adviser further pointed out that the Delhi Police has set up a North East cell, which is a positive development. The students in distress can approach the cell to solve their problems. Similar cells should be opened by other state governments, and strong punitive action should be taken against those involved in racial attacks.
However, unfortunately, very often no action is taken against those involved in racial attacks. When Anjel Chakma was killed in Dehradun, it took the police 12 days just to register the case. This is very unfortunate, and the Central Government should take up the issue very strongly so that the culprits are punished, Bhattacharya added.
He further said that the civil society of the states, where the students of the North East mostly go for studies, should act as guardians of the students.