New Delhi, Sept. 30: With the spat between Nagaland and Manipur over affiliation of schools in hill districts of Manipur escalating day by day, the Centre has distanced itself from the issue.

Adding a new dimension to the imbroglio, Nagaland has now decided to enrol students from Manipur’s Naga-dominated districts.

The two states have been embroiled in a tug-of-war on Nagaland’s request to Union human resource development minister Arjun Singh to affiliate private schools in Manipur’s four hill districts to the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE).

Two days ago, Nagaland’s Neiphiu Rio-led government took a decision to allow 4,000 students of class X to appear for the high school leaving certificate (HSLC) examination that will be organised by the NBSE this academic session. These schools include those in the Naga-dominated Senapati, Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Chandel districts of Manipur.

The Union HRD ministry is cautious while handling the issue and does not want to be seen as fanning the flames of discontent in either state. “Such enrolment of students is a state matter, so I am not in a position to comment,” said a senior official in the HRD ministry here.

An HRD ministry official said the Centre sees the issue as “sensitive” and urged the media to exercise restraint while reporting on it before Delhi takes a decision.

Manipur has opposed its neighbour’s demand tooth-and-nail, suspecting it to be an offshoot of the demand of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) for integration of contiguous Naga-inhabited areas.

The issue was first raised by the United Naga Council (UNC) in Manipur, seeking affiliation of private schools to NBSE.

Rio has expressed support for the demand and is ready to affiliate the schools.

However, for affiliating schools in Manipur to the education board of his state, the Centre’s permission is required.

Circumventing the hurdle, the state decided to let students in Manipur’s districts study in their respective schools but appear for the HSLC examinations by enrolling in Nagaland schools.

“Enrolling students is not against rules and though logistically difficult, it will be done,” minister for school education Imkong L. Imchen said over telephone from Kohima.

The minister said the school syllabi in Manipur and Nagaland were similar, so it would not be difficult for the students to appear for NBSE examinations.