The recent global achievement earned by the Naga short film ‘ANGH’ has swept through Nagaland with a wave of collective pride. Achieving international recognition from a region where formal knowledge of cinema is minimal and where specialized film or theater courses are virtually non-existent is nothing short of extraordinary. The success of the Angh team is a powerful testament to the untapped raw talent, storytelling and creative resilience thriving within our youth.
Yet, beyond the celebrations, this milestone forces a critical question upon us. Is this finally the road map we need to look beyond our obsession with government employment?
For decades, Naga society has been trapped in a narrow definition of success. From a child’s early school days, parents instinctively cultivate a single mind-set: graduate, sit for competitive examinations, and secure a government job. While parent-guided direction is rooted in a desire for stability, this rigid path often choked individuality and innovation. Young minds are conditioned to seek safety in administrative desks rather than exploring where their true talent lies. If we are to curb the overwhelming dependence on government roles, parents must begin granting their children the freedom to choose, experiment, and excel in non-conventional fields.
However, shifting the mindset of parents and youth only can not eradicate the problem. The larger responsibility rests squarely on the shoulders of the State Government.
To create viable alternatives, the government must meaningfully invest in reforming our education sector. They must proactively work for the transformation of the Education structure. So, the Government must invest in Human resources and Infrastructure to integrate new courses apart from the traditional courses the students have been pursuing.
It is time to broaden the curriculum. Performing arts, film production, sports, fine arts, music, and vocational technology must be integrated into government educational institutions as serious, structured fields of study. Nagaland is blessed with immense creative and athletic potential hidden in every corner of its districts; what our youth lack is not talent, but formal training, institutional support, and local infrastructure.
Schools and colleges remain largely stuck in traditional academic silos offering the standard fare of Political Science, History, Economics, Chemistry, Biology, Physics etc. In a state with virtually no industrial setup or private-sector manufacturing to absorb the thousands of graduates produced every year, relying solely on public sector recruitment is a disaster. Without deliberate policy shifts, we risk driving an entire generation toward burnout, frustration, and unemployment.
The success of Angh shows us what is possible even without a formal ecosystem. Imagine what Naga youth could accomplish if they were backed by state of the art academies, creative grants, and modern vocational training. With targeted government backing, our youth will not only find sustainable livelihoods in music, cinema, arts, and athletics, they will represent Nagaland on the global stage.
ANGH has shown us the light at the end of the tunnel. It is now up to our parents, educators, and leaders to break down the old walls and build a broader road forward.
C Yeilih Konyak, Research scholar Department of Journalism and Mass communication Nagaland University, Lumami
Wednesday, October 7, 2026