Need to have a full-fledged Science College in Dimapur: CM

Nagaland CM, Neiphiu Rio along with Ministers and Advisors, CL John, Temjen Imna Along, Moatoshi Longkumer and Mhathung Yanthan during the unveiling of foundation stone for PM-USHA projects at Dimapur Government College. (Morung Photo)

Morung Express News 
Dimapur | November 2 

Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio on Saturday expressed the need to have a separate full-fledged Science College in Dimapur given the size and location of the district. The CM while speaking during the unveiling of foundation stone for PM-USHA projects at Dimapur Government College (DGC) added that the State requires quality educational institutions to produce skilled citizens who would contribute in its economy. 

For which implementation of innovative programmes such as “Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM- USHA)”/ RUSA (Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan) scheme should be on priority basis, he said.  With Dimapur being located at a strategic point and possessing rail and air connectivity, he believed it would attract students not just from the State but from the region as well. 

In New Model College, Wakching under Mon district the low enrollment of students has been a huge disappointment given the expenditures and effort put in by the government for its set up, Rio stated. “Last year six students were supposed to come but they did not come,” he said. 

Such projects do not become viable as the ratio of teachers was much higher than the students.  Therefore it should be demand driven, he viewed, keeping in mind the number of feeding schools that exist in the vicinity to boost admissions to a newly established college.  

Nagaland being a “salaried” driven economy, the vast majority of the population are consumers rather than producers, he said.  This is attributed to a lack of sufficient jobs in the private sector.

For colleges such as DGC, Rio maintained that the college needs to impart education, morality and responsibilities so as to become an asset to society and not a liability. Noting further that, “The success of the students will depend on the collective effort of the students, parents, teachers and the community.” 

During the event, the CM unveiled the foundation stone for the construction of a new academic building (Commerce block) along with an incubation center, skill hub, girls’ hostel, and rest room. He was accompanied by Ministers and Advisors, CL John, Temjen Imna Along, Moatoshi Longkumer and Mhathung Yanthan. 

Providing a brief report on PM-USHA, M Kire, State Project Director of PM-USHA, Higher Education stated that Nagaland has availed and implemented 27 Units/projects under various components benefiting all the Government Colleges in the State.

He said, through RUSA 1.0 and 2.0 the Department of Higher Education has successfully supported all the Government Colleges in the state by constructing several facilities. These include, 4 Library buildings, 3 boys hostels, 2 girls hostels, 3 Administrative Buildings, 1 New Computer Centre, 4 Campus Developmental works, 1 Science Laboratory, 3 Academic Buildings, 1 Unit of vocational programme covering 15 government colleges, 1 State of the Art Research Centre on “Atmospheric Physics & Studies on Severe Weather “, 2 New Model Degree Colleges and 2 Professional Colleges (which are ongoing).

Under Grants to strengthen Colleges Component of PM –USHA, he reported that the Centre had approved funding for construction of three new academic buildings for Rs 5 crore each. These are at Dimapur Government College, Fazl Ali College and Zunheboto Government College. Meanwhile the incubation, skill hub and girls hostel under gender inclusion and equity initiative component of the scheme had been constructed at a total cost of Rs 10 crores. The contract had been awarded to the contractor, M/S Pelevituo Angami. 

Speeches were also delivered by Minister for Higher Education and Tourism, Temjen Imna Along, V Lovitoly Sema, NCS, ex-officio Director, Higher Education and Professor Sanjay Sharma, Principal of DGC.