Pilgrim Higher Secondary School launches SIP for students

Pilgrim Higher Secondary School (PHSS), Dimapur, in collaboration with NITI Academy, formally launched the School Integrated Programme (SIP) on Saturday at the M. Kikon Auditorium.
Delivering the keynote address, CEO of NITI Academy, Er. Rishav Sethi shared his personal academic journey and highlighted challenges faced by students from Nagaland when competing nationally. He said SIP aims to provide integrated coaching within school hours, guided by experienced faculty including IIT alumni, thereby reducing dependency on external coaching hubs in cities like Delhi or Kota. Stressing the importance of preparing for highly competitive exams, he expressed confidence that the initiative would help students secure better ranks and opportunities.
Chief guest minister of Tourism and Higher Education, Temjen Imna Along, who could not attend due to health reasons, conveyed his message through Deputy Director of Tourism, Kakishe K. Zhimomi. He appreciated the initiative and described SIP as a commendable step towards academic excellence.
Guest of honour Bishnu Bhattacharjee, chairman of the Linguistic Minority Forum of Nagaland, underscored the importance of inclusive and quality education. He described SIP as a forward-looking initiative combining academics with skill development and character building. Observing Dimapur’s growth as an educational hub, he said such programmes would reduce the need for students to travel outside the state for coaching, thereby easing financial and social burdens.
Earlier, school administrator Bithungo Kikon explained that SIP, introduced with due permission from the Nagaland Board of School Education, is the first-ever initiative in Nagaland for Class 11 and 12 Science stream.
He said the programme integrates board curriculum with NEET and JEE preparation, supported by faculty from premier institutions like IIT and IISER. Highlighting that only 15% of high school graduates in Nagaland opt for STEM education, he expressed the aim of raising this to 40% through SIP. He added that foundational programmes for Classes 8 to 10 would also be introduced to build early interest.
Kikon emphasized that SIP is cost-effective, reducing financial burden on families who otherwise send children outside the state for coaching. He said the programme seeks to “bring Delhi to Nagaland,” offering affordable integrated coaching within the school itself.
The programme featured a musical presentation titled “To God Be The Glory” by Jentijung Tirshana Aier. Vote of thanks was delivered by Ajay Sethi, managing director of NITI Nagaland.