Manipur University will be holding MBBS examinations for displaced Kuki-Zo students once it receives “point-wise” clarification from the National Medical Commission (NMC) on “some grey areas” that needed to be addressed or else these could lead to “more problems”.

The university had not allowed 27 displaced Kuki-Zo first year MBBS students to write their Phase-1 examinations at Churachandpur Medical College (CMC) from Tuesday despite the NMC having “no” objection to displaced students appearing in university exams from their parent college or from a different institution, prompting the displaced students to stage a protest in Churachandpur.

They also submitted a memorandum to Manipur governor alleging the varsity “intentionally sidelined and discriminated” against them.

Reacting to Tuesday’s protest by the displaced students, Manipur University vice-chancellor N. Lokendra in a text message to The Telegraph on Wednesday said: “I am told that the dean (medical sciences) has sought certain clarification from NMC regarding fulfilment of laid down norms i.e, attendance and assessments which are compulsory for every medical student. Violation of norms shall create more problems. But all of them can write (their) exam in the supplementary which will be held soon.”

Altogether 27 Kuki-Zo MBBS first-year students from three medical colleges in Meitei-majority Imphal shifted to Kuki-majority Churachandpur for safety reasons because of the conflict between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zos that erupted on May 3. Another 92 students, mostly Meiteis, from Churachandpur Medical College shifted to Imphal, also for security reasons.