Chief Minister’s Meritorious Students Fellowship to the top 50 students in the HSLC Examination 2025, conducted by the Nagaland Board of School education was held at the State Banquet Hall Chief Minister’s Residential Complex Kohima on 18th June 2025.
Chief Minister Nagaland, Dr. Neiphiu Rio, mentioned that it is a moment of pride and celebration to felicitate and honour the top 50 students of our State in the HSLC Examination 2025. He extended his heartiest congratulations to all and said that the unwavering commitment, hard work, and determination, has made their families, schools, and our State immensely proud. He said that they are the torchbearers of tomorrow, and encouraged them to continue striving for excellence in their academic journey and beyond.
He also said that it was pleasing to note the steady improvement in the overall pass percentage of the Board examinations and encouraged not to become complacent but instead, continue to adopt measures to further enhance the quality of education in our State.
Rio also advised the students to be prepared to face tougher challenges and urged to instil a strong sense of discipline and cultivate sound moral values that will guide throughout their life. Perseverance and determination are keys to achieving your goals, he added.
He also noted that, while we are producing a growing number of educated youths, many are still unemployable and added that the Government sector has reached saturation point and cannot absorb all the educated unemployed therefore, this calls for a shift in our mindset and priorities to adapt to the changing landscape.
He also mentioned that as top achievers, they hold the potential to be competent not just at the State or national level, but globally and urged to remain focused, committed, and industrious. He also encouraged the students to consider entrepreneurship as a viable and rewarding career path as entrepreneurial skills are essential for our youth. To address the challenges of unemployment, education integrated with skill development is the need of the hour. He stated that the Government of India has launched various initiatives under its mission to skill the youth and mentioned that the Department of School Education in Nagaland has introduced 9 skill/vocational subjects at the secondary level and 8 at the higher secondary level and encouraged our Naga boys and girls to make full use of these opportunities.
Rio also mentioned that we must re-orient our education system not only to promote academic excellence but also equip our students with life skills, critical thinking, adaptability, and creativity to enable them to become competent, productive, and responsible global citizens.
Secretary & Chairperson (Addl. Charge), NBSE Rangumbuing Nsarangbe in his introductory address expressed his sincere gratitude to the Chief Minister for instituting this fellowship for the top 50 students as Chief Minister's Meritorious Students Fellowship. He said that the gesture and recognition given by the State have been well received by the people particularly the students' community. This fellowship has become one of the most prestigious award for the students to showcase their academic talents and get rewarded. It is observed that students have been encouraged and motivated to do better to avail this CMMSF.
He also highlighted a brief background of the CMMSF stating that the fellowship was instituted in 2019 to motivate as well as support the students and the first felicitation was held on 31st January 2020 and the best 50 students of HSLC 2019 (55 students) were awarded with the first installment of 50,000 per student.
He stated that the fellowship is granted to the top 50 students in the top rank in order of merit of HSLC Examination conducted by the NBSE and the selection is based on the rank/marks secured in the HSLC Examination in order of merit. The selected 50 student must belong to an Indigenous Scheduled Tribe of Nagaland as notified by the Government and in case of more than one person in one rank/place while preparing the list of eligible 50 students for the fellowship flexibility would be allowed to include all the persons in that rank or with equal marks. In such case, the number of persons to be awarded the CMMSF will vary. He also highlighted that the Fellowship to be granted to the meritorious students shall be made on annual/yearly basis and a citation certificate along with cash award shall be given to the beneficiaries of CMMSF in the first year of grant of the fellowship.
The grant of CMMSF shall be awarded for 5 years. However, to achieve the desired objective of the CMMSF, the annual academic performance of the 50 awarded students shall be continuously monitored. To continue to avail the fellowship, the students should continue to score not less than 80% marks in the promotion/annual/ semester examination in the succeeding classes/grades every year. Non fulfilment of the criteria will lead to the discontinuation of the grant of CMMSF, he added.
Later in the programme Chief Minister Nagaland, Dr. Neiphiu Rio presented the awards and certificates to the toppers.
(Siizo Kikhi IA)
