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Our Correspondent
Kohima, Jan.31 (EMN): Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Friday expressed concern over Nagas not getting through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams and central exams lately, as the senior officials are all retiring, and “the new batches of successful candidates are not coming up”.
Neiphiu Rio was addressing at the presentation of Chief Minister’s Meritorious Students Fellowship (CMMSF) HSLC 2019 at Capital Convention Centre in Kohima on Friday.
He also informed that the Nagaland government has selected 100 students from across the state to avail coaching facilities from alternative centres to make them compatible in the UPSC exams. If there were more demands or requirements, the government would try to find a solution, he added.
“We need to support our youth because I feel that Nagas in general, and the youths in particular, are very casual,” he commented, citing how in Khelo India, Nagas did not win a single medal. “We are a very proud people, and we praise ourselves even when others do not,” he stated
“We seniors have concern for our youths, your health, studies and disciplines that you pursue,” he said.
Neiphiu Rio said that Nagas always tend to talk about Naga political issue and history but hardly anyone talks or discusses the state’s economy, or the individual’s economy. He asked the people to ‘take life more seriously and commit ourselves individually and collectively because we lag behind even in the Northeast’.
He asserted that Nagas always put the blame on the Naga political issue ‘but that cannot be an excuse because countries that faced wars and were defeated are growing overnight by changing their policy and pursuing peace and economy’.
On one hand, Nagaland has the highest number of government employees and on the other, it has the highest unemployed rate in private sectors, he pointed out. The chief minister stated that ‘we are only focusing on government job and benefits’.
“Our economy is a salary-economy because we do not have industries; we remain unemployed whereas people coming from outside the state are all employed, and for this, we have to change our mindset and seriously think about it,” he said.
“Students who are meritorious and excel in studies should aim for the highest job in the country or even the state but those who could not achieve those competitive exams should also be mentally prepared to take up private sectors,” he maintained.
Rio also lauded the award winners and their schools, teachers and parents; and encouraged them to do better. He also praised the Nagaland Board of School Education “for working hard and giving better results every year”.
“Many students do well in schools but when they go for higher studies we do not see much toppers among Nagas, but I want you to keep the competitive spirit so that you will become a person who will be a real asset to the community,” he challenged the students.
KT Sukhalu, the advisor to School Education, also lauded the award winners as well as their parents. “We need committed people who know what they want in life, not only for themselves but for the state and for the nation,” he said.
Sukhalu asserted that today many parents neglect children’s activity but depend on the principals and teachers of the schools to ensure that their children are getting the right education without looking into ‘what kind of education the child is being imparted’.
He asked the parents across the state to pay attention to their child’s education, commenting that with the right education, Nagaland definitely can prosper.
He said that ‘we have many educated unemployed youths in our state but getting only a degree is not the end’.
Niphreno Iralu from G Rio School, Kohima and Emjungwapang Amer from Mezhür Higher Secondary School, Kohima representing the award winners, thanked the chief minister, the schools and families; and commented that they will continue to endeavour persistently.
Fifty-five students, belonging to the Indigenous Scheduled Tribe of Nagaland, were awarded a citation and a cheque of INR 50,000 each. The grant of CMMSF will be awarded for five years if the students continue to score not less than 80% marks in the promotion examinations, where non-fulfilment of the criteria will lead to the discontinuation of the grant.