SDMC to launch exchange programme with N-E states

It usually happens between educational institutions of two countries. But in view of persistent harassment of students of northeastern states in Delhi, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation has come up with a unique plan to buck the trend.

It usually happens between educational institutions of two countries. But in view of persistent harassment of students of northeastern states in Delhi, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation has come up with a unique plan to buck the trend.

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The civic body will, in a first of its kind initiative, launch a students exchange programme between schools under its jurisdiction and those from the northeastern states.

The programme is expected to be started as soon as the corporation schools open after the summer
vacation.

"There is an urgent need to promote better understanding of diverse cultures among the students. Scholars from the northeastern states face a lot of trouble when they come to the national Capital for higher studies. Even our children have very little understanding about the culture of the seven states," said Satish Upadhyaya, chairman, education committee, SDMC.

There has been a history of northeastern students being subjected to racial slur and discrimination in the Capital. The civic body will get in touch with its counterparts in the capital cities of the seven north eastern states — Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura — for the exchange programme.

The recent case of the death of Meghalya chief minister's niece in a private university in NCR brought alive the issue of racial discrimination that students from the northeast face.