North East lawmakers push for region-specific approach to National Education Policy

Lawmakers from the North East region have called for region-specific approaches to implementing the National Education Policy 2020, citing gaps in employability, student retention, school access, funding and digital literacy. Speaking at the inaugural North East Education Conclave in Nagaland, education minister Temjen Imna Along stressed the need for greater regional dialogue and comprehensive inputs to translate the policy into effective outcomes.

Imna Along questioned the traditional link between degrees and employment, noting that degrees alone no longer guarantee jobs. He also proposed introducing Christian studies as an academic subject in North Eastern universities, particularly in Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya, framing it as a matter of curriculum integration rather than religious institutional functioning.

Assam's education minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu highlighted concerns that emphasis on competitive examinations like JEE and NEET overshadows the needs of the broader student population pursuing general education, noting only 2.6% of Assam's students pursue professional education.