Why SSC centre in Churachandpur sparks unwarranted controversy

The reinstatement of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) examination centre in Churachandpur town of Manipur, has ignited a firestorm of controversy, with social media amplifying fears of mass cheating, unfair practices, and inflated pass rates. These concerns, often tied to the Kuki community and past IT-related scams in the region, have cast a shadow over what should be a celebrated step toward educational equity.

The Churachandpur centre, part of a broader Manipur government initiative to establish 11 state-of-the-art IT centres across the State with a Rs 11 crore investment, aims to provide local access to national competitive examinations like NEET, PG, Indian Army SSB, and SSC for students in violence-affected areas. Inaugurated on January 7, 2025, by the Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the Churachandpur IT centre hosted its first SSC Selection Post Examination 2025 on July 28, with 65 candidates appearing on the first day.

Notably, both the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) and the Tangkhul Katamnao Long Delhi (TKLD) student bodies jointly wrote to the SSC Chairman on September 5, 2024, requesting the reinstatement of SSC centres in Churachandpur and Ukhrul, highlighting their historical smooth operation and assuring the current peaceful conditions in these districts. While the KSO has claimed credit for this reinstatement, it is not a Kuki-specific achievement but part of a state-wide effort to support all students impacted by Manipur’s ongoing violence. 

The establishment of 11 IT centres across Manipur—located in Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Chandel, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Jiribam, Senapati, Imphal West, and Imphal East—is a strategic response to the state’s prolonged ethnic violence and frequent internet shutdowns, which have disrupted education and access to competitive examinations. Funded by the Ministry of Home Affairs’ violence-affected distress schemes, these centres are equipped with modern computer labs and reliable internet to enable students in remote areas to participate in exams like SSC without the financial and logistical burdens of traveling to distant cities. In 2024, the SSC relocated examination centres from Churachandpur and Ukhrul due to these challenges, exacerbating inequities for local students. The Churachandpur centre’s reinstatement is the first step in operationalizing this infrastructure, with the remaining centres expected to follow, ensuring equitable access for all students, regardless of ethnicity.

The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) has been vocal in celebrating the Churachandpur centre’s reinstatement, framing it as a hard-won achievement. In a recent New Delhi meeting, a KSO delegation, including representatives from KSO-GHQ and KSO Delhi & NCR Education Department, thanked the SSC Chairman, presenting a traditional muffler and submitting formal representations. The KSO has also advocated for permanent status for the Churachandpur centre, citing high applicant numbers, and proposed a new centre at Presidency College, Motbung, in Kangpokpi district. 

However, this advocacy was not solely a Kuki effort; the Tangkhul Katamnao Long Delhi (TKLD), representing the Tangkhul community, joined the KSO in their letter to the SSC Chairman, requesting the reinstatement of centres in Churachandpur and Ukhrul due to their historical significance and current stability. While their efforts are commendable, the KSO’s narrative risks overhyping their role and framing the reinstatement as a Kuki-specific victory, which is misleading and exaggerated celebrations. It has nothing to do with any demands for separate administration. 

This Churachandpur centre is part of the broader rollout of the 11 IT centres, a government initiative designed to benefit all violence-affected students in Manipur. The joint advocacy by KSO and TKLD, along with other student bodies, shows a collaborative push, with the Ukhrul centre’s reinstatement still pending. By over emphasizing their role, the KSO risks fueling ethnic divisions in a state already grappling with conflict. The SSC Chairman’s assurance of a fact-finding team to assess the Kangpokpi proposal further highlights that these decisions are driven by systemic considerations, not any community-specific advocacy, as claimed by some Kuki leaders. 

Meanwhile, the recent controversy surrounding the Churachandpur centre largely stems from social media narratives alleging that its reinstatement will lead to widespread cheating or guaranteed passes for Kuki candidates. However, these claims are baseless and ignore the history of SSC centres in Churachandpur and Ukhrul, which operated without significant malpractice issues before their 2024 relocation due to logistical challenges like internet shutdowns. The joint letter from KSO and TKLD to the SSC Chairman clearly emphasized the peaceful conditions in these districts, countering the narrative of law and order instability. SSC exams are managed by third-party vendors under standardized protocols, including biometric verification, which minimizes the risk of localized fraud.

The presence of a local SSC center in Churachandpur will definitely encourages higher participation of candidates, amplifying opportunities for students in the region and promoting inclusivity by ensuring that geographical barriers do not hinder access to competitive exams.However, the establishment of an exam center in Churachandpur is not without its challenges. The facility may encounter issues related to inadequate infrastructure, such as insufficient seating, faulty equipment, or unreliable electricity and internet connectivity, all of which could disrupt the smooth execution of exams.

Additionally, ensuring the security of exam materials and candidates may pose difficulties, particularly if the center lacks the capacity to manage large groups effectively. Limited resources and dependence on local infrastructure further complicate operations, potentially leading to administrative hiccups. To maximize the benefits of the center, these challenges must be proactively addressed to ensure a seamless and equitable examination process in the district. 

There are also unfounded concerns about Kuki candidates dominating the Scheduled Tribe quota. The ST quota exists to ensure representation for marginalized communities, and any issues within this framework should be addressed by ST communities themselves, without interference from others, such as the Meitei or Muslims. Historical instances of Meitei candidates traveling to Saikul in Kangpokpi or Komlathabi in Chandel for lenient exam conditions highlight that systemic education  loopholes have affected all communities in the past, irrespective of Kuki, Meitei or Naga. These should not be used to cast suspicion on current efforts to improve access.

A significant driver of the recent controversy is the association of Churachandpur with IT-related frauds and scams, often linked to the Kuki community. A notable case, exposed few years back revealed a scam call centre in Churachandpur, a Kuki-dominated district, involved in collecting personal data and running fake subscription schemes. This operation has raised concerns due to its proximity to known scam hubs in Myanmar, such as Shwe Kokko, notorious for cybercrimes and human trafficking. These scams have contributed to a broader narrative of distrust, with some social media users linking them to the integrity of the SSC centre.

India reported over 2.4 million cyber fraud incidents in the first 10 months of 2024, with losses of Rs 4,245 crore, driven by phishing, fake investment schemes, and “digital arrest” frauds. Cities like Kolkata have been identified as major hubs for international call centre scams, often due to lax regulations. The Churachandpur scam is part of this larger issue, often involving external syndicates exploiting vulnerable regions. The new IT centre’s secure infrastructure, including monitored internet and computer systems, is designed to ensure transparency in examinations, and conflating possibility of scams with the centre’s operations is both unfair and misleading, without any valid proofs. 

The SSC’s broader operational challenges, particularly since transitioning from TCS to Eduquity, are a more pressing concern than localized fears about Churachandpur. Students nationwide have reported exam cancellations due to technical glitches, centres allocated 500 km from hometowns, untrained invigilators, and system malfunctions. On the first day of the 2025 SSC exams, multiple centres faced system freezes, leading to postponements that left students stranded. Eduquity’s selection has been criticized due to allegations of past paper leaks and malpractices, raising questions about the SSC’s vendor vetting process. A 2024 Dainik Bhaskar report have highlighted a Patna scandal where candidates allegedly paid Rs 10 lakh to pass SSC exams, exposing that malpractices are a national issue. 

Further, the use of AI to generate exam questions has also drawn criticism for producing simplistic or vague questions, potentially inflating cut-offs and undermining diligent aspirants. These systemic flaws, not the reinstatement of the Churachandpur centre, pose the greatest threat to exam integrity. Addressing them requires improved vendor accountability, better training for invigilators, and equitable centre allocation.

The reinstatement of the Churachandpur centre, and the planned expansion of the 11 IT centres, is a transformative step toward educational equity in Manipur. These centres alleviate the burdens faced by students in violence-affected areas, enabling them to compete nationally. Social media-driven fears of cheating or favoritism, amplified by unrelated scams in Churachandpur, are baseless and controversy without solid evidences. 

The reinstatement of the Churachandpur SSC centre, a vital step toward educational equity, should unite rather than divide Manipur’s communities. The Kuki Students’ Organisation and any Kuki civil society organizations must refrain from inflating the balloons of credit or ethnic pride to the point of bursting, as this risks fueling unwarranted controversy and deepening divisions.

Whatever funds or schemes, including the Rs 11 crore allocated for the 11 IT centres, stem from the state’s share of growth and development, distributed by the Centre or ministries for the benefit of all citizens. The district administration is diligently working to uplift Churachandpur as an integral part of Manipur, not as separate lands outside the state’s fold. Instead of stoking ethnic divides, KSO and other groups should embrace the reality that these resources are provided to all as citizens of Manipur, fostering unity and collective progress over divisive narratives.