The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Manipur government and the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) to obtain instructions in response to a petition filed by the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), Manipur, seeking the reinstatement of Churachandpur as a venue for government recruitment exams for the remainder of the academic year.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, scheduled the matter for consideration on October 16. Advocate Rudrajit Ghosh, representing the petitioner, argued that Churachandpur had been a long-standing venue for SSC exams and other Central government recruitment tests, even during last year’s ethnic violence. However, SSC has recently removed Churachandpur from its list of exam venues for upcoming and future exams without providing clear reasoning.

The petition raised concerns that over 500 candidates from the Kuki-Zo tribal communities, previously able to take exams in Churachandpur, now have only one available center in Imphal. Candidates are being forced to travel over 300 kilometers through difficult mountain terrain to Aizawl, Mizoram, for their exams.

The SSC had issued a notice on September 4, citing “law and order” concerns for canceling exams in Churachandpur and Ukhrul. Despite this, the petition highlighted that exams were held in Churachandpur until July this year.

In addition to seeking the reinstatement of Churachandpur as an exam center, the petition is also requesting that authorities facilitate arrangements for tribal students in hill districts to travel out-of-state to Aizawl for their exams.