Imphal: The Union Government has agreed to open a Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services (Mains) Examination Centre in Imphal from 2026 onwards. This was announced by Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Leishemba Sanajaoba in a Facebook post on Thursday.
In the post, Sanajaoba expressed gratitude to the Government of India, particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for responding to concerns he had raised in Parliament regarding candidates from Manipur.
Sanajaoba recalled that he first highlighted the demand for a UPSC (Mains) Examination Centre in Imphal through a Special Mention in the Rajya Sabha on March 22, 2021. He subsequently wrote to the Prime Minister on August 10, 2022, seeking sympathetic consideration for aspirants who faced difficulties travelling to distant examination centres.
The MP also referred to issues concerning candidates opting for Manipuri language and literature. He noted that such candidates had earlier been required to write answers in the Bengali script, which many were unfamiliar with. Following a Special Mention raised on February 8, 2023, the Union Government approved the use of the Meitei Mayek script in Civil Services examinations for the Manipuri optional paper.
During the 2026 Budget Session, Sanajaoba again urged the authorities to ensure that question papers for the Manipuri optional subject are printed in Meitei Mayek alongside the Bengali script, pointing out that many students are proficient only in Meitei Mayek.
Sanajaoba conveyed appreciation to the Centre on behalf of the people of Manipur, particularly Civil Services aspirants, describing the decision as a significant step in addressing long-standing concerns of candidates from the state.