• Jamir urges youth to transform knowledge into industry
• Pointers given about system-change to create opportunities
• Peace Channel urges youths to think critically
• Mokokchung to create responsible civil servants out of students
• Potholes and garbage starting to hurt citizenry
EMN
Dimapur, April 18
The need for the youth and students’ community of Nagaland, in particular, and the nation in general, to force a change by intellectual enterprise and activism at both social and academic levels continues to grow in tone.
From Odisha to Nagaland, the feeling of detachment is growing for the younger generation: detachment from the harsh economic realities of regional imbalances, unemployment and infrastructural degeneration; detachment from the social realities of corruption and policy-incompetence.
Said tones of unrest continue to be an issue that local administrators, youth leaders, and even regional initiatives are striving to address. For instance, as far as Odisha, political stalwart SC Jamir has called for youth activism to harness their qualifications to create an industry.
Closer home, local initiatives such as the Peace Channel continues to push the message of change by activating youth participation in the community; Mokokchung district is undertaking motivational programs to create informed, competent and welfare-conscious civil servants out of school students. The tone of clarion for the youths of the state remains loud and urgent.
The governor of Odisha and former chief minister of Nagaland, SC Jamir, has called upon the youths of the country to undertake endeavours that would transform their education and knowledge in ‘industry’ that would impact an economic movement and create employment opportunities.
The remarks of one of the country’s senior most politicians, and one from the north-east region where youth capital remain untapped, comes at a time when youths, especially in marginalized communities such as Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura are negotiating a phase of economic morass. For instance, unemployment is chronic in Nagaland even amid high education capital.
The senior politician was addressing the seventh convocation of Biju Patnaik University of Technology at Rourkela in Odisha on April 17
Also the chancellor of the university, governor SC Jamir said that the universities had been playing a vital role in the creation and ‘use of knowledge’ to transform India into a ‘knowledge economy.’
“Our universities should collaborate and partner with top overseas institutions to equip students with entrepreneurial skills,” Jamir said and called for innovation and knowledge-transfer through establishment of ‘incubation centres.’ About 64,900 certificates of under-graduate and post-graduate programmes, besides, eight PhD degrees and 51 gold medals, were awarded during the event.
Unemployment and corruption in the state’s education sector remains a burning issue in Nagaland. Organizations from the state had been critical of the state’s policy makers for failing to address one of the biggest concerns for the youths of Nagaland: unemployment and economic stagnation. There is also heightened disillusionment that corruption continues to deprive deserving youths.
For instance, a local organization representing ‘educated unemployed youths’ had stated recently that the state government of Nagaland had failed to demonstrate political will in addressing the issue of unemployment in Nagaland.
‘Obviously there is lack of political will in the state government of Nagaland to deliver justice in matters of employment and relevant issues,’ the Educated Unemployed Union of Nagaland had stated in its statement the previous summer.
The plentiful “production” of graduates but lack of industry and employment opportunities and the existence of unchecked corruption and extortion on the other hand, have led to a disproportionate economic index in Nagaland spanning at least two decades.
In the statement, the union had expressed ‘pleasure’ and appreciation to the popular mass-based movement Against Corruption & Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) for striving with all efforts to expose corruption practiced by the state government in recruitment and employment engagement in the government sector.
“Backdoor appointment is an unhealthy practice in the society and should be discontinued. Naga society needs the best in the public sector and the same need not be deprived for a time has come in which elected leaders will have to invest and utilize their talent to promote their chairs,’ the organization had stated in its press release.
It had also remarked that the time for “receiving easy money like gathering rain water” had ended while lamenting the hardships the people of the state will have to go through before becoming a ‘self-dependent state.’
Lucky selected students or aspirants to the civil services in Mokokchung district will soon be receiving first-hand experience about the working of regional administrative establishments such as the district administration. Likewise, tips and guidance about the functions of government officials would be given to them by the district’s government officials themselves.
This novel platform has been announced in Mokokchung by the district’s administration to motivate students aspiring for a career in the civil services.
The deputy commissioner of Mokokchung district, Sushil Kumar Patel, has taken a step to encourage and motivate students aspiring to become civil servants. The administration has launched an initiative called “Inspiration” in Mokokchung to offer direction and motivate to students who have eyes on administrative leadership and work.
Under the initiative, students who are undergoing their graduate studies or have completed them, and preparing to appear for the Union Public Service Commission and the Nagaland Public Service Commission examinations, can approach the administration, or any administrative officers and seek practical guidance. They can approach the administration with a written profile countersigned by heads of Institution in concern and parents.
After the scrutiny of the applications, Patel said, selected persons will be called for an attachment to the deputy commissioner or additional deputy commissioner for one full-day. The day of attachment would mostly be on the day of the District Planning & Development Board meeting. It would be with prior approval of the chairman of the board.
Patel said that tips regarding preparation for the UPSC / NPSC would be provided and all the expenses for the day (logistics, lunch/refreshment etc) for selected persons will be borne by the Mokokchung deputy commissioner’s establishment.
The objective of the ‘Inspiration’ is to give firsthand experience to aspirants about the role of district administration and how one can contribute to the society once they get selected for civil service, the official said.
The deputy commissioner also said that the initiative will commence immediately. Requests placed by students or individuals shall be compiled by administration. The first aspirant will be selected on May 7, it was informed.
Ever since assuming charge as the deputy commissioner of Mokokchung district, Sushil Kumar Patel has been conducting seminars in schools and colleges frequently, aiming at guiding and motivating students to face competitive examinations with confidence.
As part of a ‘sanitation drive’ to mark a health event, the World Malaria Day, youths of a ward in Mokokchung district cleaned out their area, besides, tending to the perennial issue of potholed-roads. World Malaria Day is scheduled to be observed on April 25,
The Kumlong Environment Committee conducted a cleanliness drive on Saturday, April 16, during which youths from seven clubs in Kumlong actively participated and cleaned the locality.
“The youths filled up potholes, cleaned the drains and put up a banner about cleanliness. The cleanliness drive was undertaken as part of the Swachh Bharat Ahbiyan and the ward cleanliness competition being organized by the SBA committee in Mokokchung town,” the organizers informed in a note on Monday, April 15.
The Kumlong Environment Committee was formed in 2012 by the Kumlong Ward Council. “Ever since it was formed, the KEC has been undertaking various activities like putting up dustbins, conducting social works etc. In 2014, the Kumlong Ward was also adjudged as the cleanest ward by the authorities,” the note said.
The committee has expressed gratitude to the members of the seven clubs in Kumlong Ward for actively participating in the cleanliness drive. ‘Such cleanliness activities will be undertaken even in the future and therefore solicited the citizens to continue their support to make Kumlong a clean, environment friendly and beautiful colony in the town,’ the committee added.
The state of Nagaland is in need of a movement of critical thinking from the youth community; only a mind that searches and feeds itself with motivation to change can bring change, students of Jalukie town in Peren district were told during a motivational program recently.
A local motivational group, the Peace Channel, conducted a training program for leaders and members of peace clubs in Jalukie on April 15. The event was conducted with the theme “Change your mind, Change your life,” and conducted in the auditorium of St. Xavier Higher Secondary School.
Speaking to the youth leaders, the project coordinator of Peace Channel Janthuiyang RK John said that to change, one needs to change the ‘pattern of thinking.’ The members of clubs were exhorted to ‘think critically which is not taught normally in the schools.’
John said further that one needs to see beyond the present. “We should think bigger than our environment and still greater than our circumstances in life,” he said. The speaker encouraged the participants to ‘create positive affirmations’ and ‘count the joys and blessings they receive.’ He quoted Melody Beattie: “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”
The speaker concluded his session by strongly affirming that change was possible ‘if we can change our thinking.’
Another speaker during the event, Elow Chaza, told the youths that ‘addiction’ to technology, excess socialization, and unhealthy sleeping habits and ‘poor motivation’ was the four commonest problems that hamper the modern youth community.
He strongly attributed the cause of youths’ poor performance in studies and unhealthy lifestyles to ‘ill habits’ and additions. Speaking about motivation, he described it as a desire to aspire toward achieving something worthwhile. ‘To be motivated towards something one needs to set a goal which is specific, measurable, achievable, rational and time bound,’ Chaza said.
