Mizo Students' Union (MSU) today burnt the effigy of the Mizoram University Vice Chancellor Prof A N Rai in protest against the way pre-screening interview was done for 117 teaching posts by discriminating against local scholars.

MSU leaders alleged that the University authorities had not give equal opportunity to all candidates in the recruitment of Assistant Professors and Associate Professors by eliminating the names of many locals in the pre-interview screening.

"The interpretation of a clause of the University Ordinance by the VC and the Registrar that only those candidates who have first divisions in HSLC, HSSLC, Graduation and Master Degree could appear for interviews is a violation of the conditions in the advertisement which stipulates that Master Degree with NET/JRF can appear," the student leaders held.

They alleged that the University authorities were indulging in favouritism and 28 students of the Benaras Hindu University had already been appointed.

The BHU, is the alma mater of the VC, they said.

The student body urged the VC to leave Mizoram immediately unless he allowed eligible Mizo candidates to appear for interviews scheduled to begin from Tuesday and that no non-Mizo candidate should appear for interview till Mizo candidates are allowed to do so by the University authorities.