A growing educational crisis in Manipur’s Churachandpur district has left government job aspirants facing severe disadvantages as the ongoing ethnic conflict blocks access to nearby examination centres. Despite Imphal being just 62 kilometres away, security concerns and travel restrictions force students to undertake exhausting and expensive journeys to cities like Aizawl, Guwahati, and Agartala to sit for major national exams such as SSC, NDA, NEET, UPSC, and UGC-NTA. Many have missed crucial exams due to unaffordable costs, while those who manage to travel face unfamiliar environments and travel fatigue that undermine their performance. Educators and advocacy groups warn that without urgent steps—including establishing a permanent examination centre in Churachandpur—an entire generation could be sidelined from national opportunities. They stress that equitable access to exam centres is now a necessity, not just a convenience.