Stressing on imparting of quality education in the state, the chief secretary, Pankaj Kumar, has said that the government was trying to get more colleges accredited and expressed hope that more colleges would obtain accreditation in time to come. State chief secretary was speaking at the 37th Foundation Day programme of the All Nagaland College Students Union (ANCSU) at Zonal Council Hall here on Tuesday.
The chief secretary said the central and state governments have been emphasising more on expansion of education, be it school or college, but maintained that now there has been a distinct change with government concentrating more on quality education to help the student community do better. Suggesting setting up of educational institutions that could provide quality education, Kumar said he was optimistic that the setting up of private university in the state, which was recently passed by the assembly, would provide quality education to the students. Exhorting the students, the chief secretary said the amount of time and effort that students invest in their studies would lead them to a level of competency and efficiency, which would ultimately improve the chances of qualifying in competitive examinations vastly. He reminded the students that personal effort was the main requirement to become an icon for state or national or international.
Taking note of the issues raised by various speakers, Pankaj said state government was reviewing the administration of ILP and what policies were to be introduced to strengthen the issue.
On the removal of powers and jurisdiction of the State Vigilance Commission (SVC) by state government, raised by former president of ANCSU, Theja Therie, the chief secretary informed that “we have to deal with this problem collectively to bring transparency and justice in the society.”
Pankaj Kumar also asserted that he has taken note on the timely release of scholarship. On the issue of backdoor appointment, the chief secretary said government was serious on the issue and as notified on June 6. Stating that instructions have been issued to all departments, he said there might be some violations but government would respond to it.
Former president of ANCSU, Theja Therie, said ANCSU was formed representing college students of Nagaland with an objective to promote the society through higher education and professional studies. He said the union must stay focused and be more specific so the specific needs were addressed from time to time.
Lamenting that corruption cases in the state were mushrooming, Therie said that government has “callously dismantled” the one and the only anti corruption bureau that could check corruption at all levels. He said removal of powers and jurisdiction of the SVC and doing away of suo motu power to raid and investigate corruption has reduced the SVC to a mere paper tiger allowing corrupt leaders to escape from the clutches of laws.
Therie also stressed the need to review the backward reservation periodically, saying the existing reservation policies were outdated.
On the issue of Illegal Bangladeshi Immigrants (IBIs), Therie said the state has a protective law like Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873, but since the regulation covered only from Chumukedima, he called for brining the entire state. Therie also said that the state was legitimizing the Assam claim of 1925 British inner line as the demarcated boundary between Assam and Nagaland, which, he said was far from truth. Further, he claimed that Nagaland has over 5 lakh illegal immigrants, Assam has 70 lakh (if NCR is taken on the basis of 1951 as cut-off year) and Meghalaya with over 3 lakhs illegal immigrants. On the occasion, NSF president Subenthung Kithan and ANCSU tribunal general Kezhazer Angami also delivered greetings.