How Manipur University's DVSSD Turned Adversity into Opportunity for Hundreds of Students

In the shadow of one of the most painful and prolonged crises in Manipur’s recent history , where  countless stories of loss, displacement, fear, and economic hardship have emerged. 

For the youth, the crisis brought disrupted education, financial distress, psychological trauma, and deep uncertainty about the future. However, while darkness engulfed much of the state’s educational sector, one department at Manipur University  quietly transformed adversity into genuine opportunity.

The Department of Vocational Studies and Skill Development (DVSSD) emerged as the lone beacon of hope and resilience, helping hundreds of students not merely survive the crisis but build meaningful careers with dignity and financial stability. Through practical skills, strategic partnerships, innovative support systems, and global placements, DVSSD proved that even in Manipur’s most difficult times, education can become a powerful instrument of recovery and empowerment.

Manipur University, through DVSSD, has been working in alignment with the Government of India’s Skill India mission and the UGC’s emphasis on skill-based curriculum. The department has consistently focused on empowering the youth with practical, industry-relevant skills that go beyond traditional academics, preparing them for self-employment as well as high-value jobs in India and abroad.

While peer universities from North East region are still awaiting approval from the University Grants Commission to establish new departments like Vocational Studies & Skill Development, Manipur University has been successfully implementing holistic development beyond conventional teaching frameworks for more than a decade. This achievement gains even greater significance when viewed against the backdrop of other institutions in the region.

Manipur University has been ahead, quietly building expertise and delivering tangible results long before many others recognised the importance of vocational and skill-based education in the Northeast.

The seeds of this success were sown long before the 2023 crisis. On October 24, 2014, Manipur University established the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Skill Development with a clear mission to foster entrepreneurship and practical skills among the youth. On June 14, 2022, this Centre was upgraded into a full-fledged Department of Vocational Studies and Skill Development (DVSSD) under the visionary leadership of the university authorities.

When ethnic violence erupted in May 2023, bringing displacement, fear, and economic bankruptcy to thousands of families, DVSSD refused to slow down. In 2023, the department signed key MoUs with the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship for skill training under PMKVY 4.0 and entrepreneurship development programmes. Students continued to receive hands-on training and internships at The Classic Group of Hotels in Imphal, local industries like Thangjam Agro Industries, Meira Foods, and YVU Milk Producer Company, as well as national destinations in New Delhi, Guwahati, and Shillong.

Financial support remained crucial. In 2024-2025, 119 students benefited from scholarships through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) and North Eastern Council (NEC) Merit Scholarship, receiving Rs 8,000 to Rs 31,000 each — a vital lifeline for families in distress.

Today, DVSSD offers seven focused programmes designed for real-world employability. The Tourism and Hospitality Management programmes consistently attracted the highest number of applicants, often exceeding available seats. 

5-Year Integrated M.Voc. in Tourism and Hospitality Management (2021)

5-Year Integrated M.Voc. in Retail Management and Foreign Trade (2021)

B.Voc. in Food Processing and Quality Management (2020)

M.Voc. in Entrepreneurship and Foreign Trade (2020)

M.Voc. in Tourism and Hospitality Management (2020)

Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Applications (PGDCA, 2015)

Diploma in Information Technology (DIT, 2014)

Even  amid uncertainty, student enrolment at DVSSD remained remarkably steady. The department recorded a peak strength of 502 students in 2021-2022, followed by 376 students in 2022-2023. During the height of the crisis in 2023-2024, enrolment stood at 349 students — clear evidence of the determination of Manipuri youth who refused to abandon their dreams. By 2024-2025, strength had rebounded to 428 students, reflecting growing trust in the department’s ability to deliver results in difficult times.

Before the crisis struck, DVSSD was already laying a strong foundation for future success. The department adopted the remote hilly village of Maram Khunou in Senapati District (63 km from Imphal) as part of its social responsibility. Faculty and staff conducted regular entrepreneurship awareness programmes for villagers and mentored local students for competitive examinations.

The department also organised landmark events such as the Start-Up Boot Camp in 2018 (with 200 participants) and the Start-Up Boot Camp (Idea Stage) 2020 (with 455 participants). In March 2022, it launched the Skill Initiative Hub under PMKVY 3.0, offering short-term training in “Basics of Food Processing”.

The State Level Business Plan Competition 2023 further encouraged young innovators. These early initiatives created a robust ecosystem of skills, entrepreneurship, and community engagement that would later prove invaluable when adversity struck.

What makes DVSSD truly exceptional is its deep personal concern for students — an approach rarely seen in universities. One of its most remarkable initiatives is the regular Parent-Teacher Meet and Counselling sessions for students with poor attendance and performance. In an era where university students are usually treated as independent adults, DVSSD took the bold step of involving parents when their wards struggled.

This unique programme, initiated with genuine compassion by Department Head Dr. Nambram Amulkumar, reflects extraordinary care and responsibility. Many students initially felt hesitant about calling their parents, but the department created a supportive environment where these meetings became opportunities for guidance and motivation rather than criticism. Dr. Amulkumar and his team understood that during a crisis filled with trauma and uncertainty, students needed family support and accountability to stay focused on their careers.

This thoughtful system, rarely practised even in high schools, has played a significant role in improving attendance, academic engagement, and ultimately the placement outcomes.

The most powerful proof of DVSSD’s impact lies in its consistent and growing placement record, which turned crisis into opportunity for hundreds of students. In 2021-2022 (peak strength 502 students): 8 students secured placements in ITC Hotels (Gurugram), Siroi Financial Consultancy Pvt Ltd (Imphal) at Rs 1.40 lakhs per annum, Indigo Airlines, Trident Hotels, and others.

In 2022-2023 (376 students): 19 students were placed in reputed organisations including Qatar Airways (Doha), Indigo Airlines, Air India Express, Trident Mumbai, Backwater Ripples (Kerala), and Ushakiron Movies Pvt Ltd / Ramoji Film City (Telangana), with the highest package reaching Rs 2.4 lakhs per annum.

In 2023-2024 (during the peak of the crisis, 349 students): 24 students achieved placements, including positions in Japanese companies like Than Co Ltd (Rs 1,28,000 per month) and TKP Corporation (Rs 1,10,000 per month), Cathay Pacific Airways (Hong Kong) at Rs 1,20,000 per month, and Indian firms such as Trident and Ramoji Film City.

In 2024-2025 (428 students): 33 students secured placements — the highest number yet. Several joined Tokyu Hotels and Resort, Japan with an impressive annual package of Rs 15.84 lakhs. Domestic offers came from Indigo Airlines, The Oberoi Bangalore, and Hotel Royal Orchid Bangalore, with packages ranging from Rs 3.60 lakhs to Rs 5.40 lakhs per annum.

Students from the 2023 Bachelor of Vocational batches are now graduating and stepping into these opportunities. Many placed in Japan and Hong Kong are sending remittances that are helping families recover from financial bankruptcy caused by the crisis.

Besides achieving impressive global and national placements, several talented students of DVSSD, Manipur University have transformed into successful entrepreneurs by launching their own innovative start-ups. These B.Voc. graduates have not only built sustainable businesses but have also become job providers in the region. Their inspiring ventures include Leiteng Design & Creation, Meire Brothers Enterprises, Paonam Creation, Salam & Son’s Earthmovers, Menta Constructions, Ophelia’s Cake House, and Mongjam Brothers Fishery. Such achievements beautifully highlight the power of skill-based education in fostering self-reliance and economic growth in Manipur.

This remarkable journey would not have been possible without strong leadership. The Manipur University authorities, especially Vice-Chancellor Prof. Naorem Lokendra Singh, deserve sincere appreciation for upgrading the Centre into a full department and sustaining its activities through the most turbulent times. Their vision for skill-based education has turned out to be both timely and transformative.

Special gratitude goes to Department Head Dr. Nambram Amulkumar and the dedicated faculty and staff of DVSSD. Dr. Amulkumar’s personal concern — particularly through the unique parent-teacher counselling programme — has made a profound difference. The entire team worked tirelessly behind the scenes, coordinating MoUs, arranging internships, facilitating scholarships, organising counselling sessions, and driving placements, all while the state faced immense challenges.

As Manipur continues its journey toward peace and normalcy, DVSSD offers a powerful model of how adversity can be turned into opportunity. By combining practical vocational training, industry linkages, innovative student support systems, and genuine care, the department has not only helped hundreds of students secure dignified employment but has also injected hope and resources back into affected families and communities.

The success of DVSSD proves that when education is made relevant, caring, and forward-looking, it becomes one of the strongest tools for recovery and resilience.

In times of conflict and crisis, we often focus on what was lost. But let us also celebrate what was built. DVSSD has shown that even in Manipur’s darkest hours, one department could turn adversity into opportunity for hundreds of young dreams. Their placements — many with annual packages above Rs 15 lakhs — are not just individual successes; they are stories of resilience, hope, and a brighter tomorrow for the entire state.

If adequately supported by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and all other stakeholders, Manipur University and its DVSSD have the potential to become a blessing for the youth of the state and the entire Northeast. The department can play a pioneering role in nurturing young entrepreneurs in emerging sectors such as Agri-Tourism, War Tourism (leveraging Manipur’s rich WWII historical sites), food processing (bio-diversity hotspot), retail, and hospitality.

The opening of Asian Highways and the impending railway connectivity with national capitals, combined with India’s Act East Policy, have opened enormous avenues for foreign trade and collaboration with neighbouring countries like Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

DVSSD is uniquely positioned to equip students with the skills needed to tap into these opportunities in tourism, trade, entrepreneurship, and cross-border commerce. In this larger national vision, Manipur University is poised to take a major role in realising the dream of Viksit Bharat @2047. By strengthening DVSSD and expanding its reach, the university can transform thousands of young lives, create future entrepreneurs, and contribute meaningfully to building a developed and self-reliant India.

Let this success inspire other institutions to follow the same path. And let the resilient students of DVSSD remind us all that with the right support and determination, even the greatest challenges can become stepping stones to success. Manipur University’s DVSSD has truly shown how education can rise above adversity and light the way forward.


The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of India Today NE or its affiliates.