“In the wake of the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Nagaland’s higher education faces a seismic shift, but the transition poses daunting challenges. The state is grappling with the mandate to transform colleges into multidisciplinary institutions, each accommodating a minimum of 3,000 students by 2030. The Director of Higher Education highlighted the looming threat to existing institutions, citing a critical lack of infrastructure and faculty to meet these ambitious standards. Without substantial improvements, many standalone institutions might face closure. Nagaland’s unique rural-centric student population further complicates the formation of larger college clusters, a suggested solution under the NEP.
The Director underscored the state’s heavy reliance on Central Government funding, which has transitioned from UGC grants to the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) for infrastructural development. The state has initiated strategic partnerships with the Aviation Industry, IBM, and the skill industry to align educational offerings with NEP requirements.
Pro Vice Chancellor of Nagaland University emphasized the acute shortage of teachers and infrastructure in Government colleges. The call for increased departmental funding to recruit more faculty and enhance facilities echoed throughout the discussion. Furthermore, the absence of a State University in Nagaland was flagged as a significant limitation in the current higher education landscape, prompting suggestions to elevate institutions like Kohima Science College to a State University status for an overall uplift in the state’s academic standards.”
Regarding Disable schoolarship