The Department of Higher Education, Government of Nagaland, inaugurated the Education Conclave 2026 on 18th September, at J.P Park & Banquets, Naga United Village, Chumoukedima, bringing together policymakers, educators and administrators from across the North Eastern region to deliberate on the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The theme of the conclave, "Implementation of NEP 2020: Vision, Challenges and Opportunities for the North Eastern States," reflects the shared concerns of states in the region as they work toward translating the policy into ground-level action.
Temjen Imna Along, Minister for Higher Education and Tourism, Government of Nagaland, said the conclave presents an opportunity to resonate and amplify the National Education Policy across the state.
He expressed gratitude to delegates who travelled from various districts to attend, noting that the gathering reflected a shared commitment to converge on a common agenda around what he described as a transformative policy.
The Minister said positive and critical thinking should be encouraged as part of the discourse, adding that he hoped the conclave would culminate in a resolution that is both comprehensive and strikingly clear.
The inaugural session was chaired by Sarita Yadav, IAS, Secretary of Higher and Technical Education, Government of Nagaland. Yadav outlined the challenges facing higher education institutions in implementing NEP 2020, particularly across the North East. She also stated that Nagaland's higher education infrastructure was flagged as under-resourced, requiring expansion of institutional capacity through new colleges and universities alongside upgrades to existing ones.
Improving the quality of higher education was identified as another priority area, encompassing better teacher training, stronger assessment standards and a greater emphasis on research and innovation. The policy's push for decentralised governance was also highlighted, requiring the devolution of authority to state governments and institutions along with new coordination mechanisms among stakeholders. The Secretary further noted the need for a cultural shift toward learner-centric education, involving both a change in mindset among students, teachers and administrators and the adoption of updated teaching methods.
Jagadish K. Patnaik, Vice-Chancellor of Nagaland University, has called for contextual and inclusive educational transformation in the Northeast in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Delivering the keynote address, he highlighted the NEP’s key priorities: accessibility, equity, quality, flexibility, multilingualism, and holistic development encompassing knowledge, skills, and values. He stressed the need to transform indigenous knowledge into academic strength and upgrade skills through technological proficiency.
Dr. Patnaik noted that funding remains a major concern, as the policy envisages substantially increased investment while the mechanism for mobilising resources remains unclear. He said the Northeast has the potential to become a model of contextual, inclusive, and knowledge-driven educational transformation.
He emphasised that the way forward lies in moving from policy adoption to contextual implementation and strengthening collaboration among all the states of the Northeast.
The session also featured speeches by special invitees including Kishor Barman, Minister of Higher Education and Panchayats and GA, Government of Tripura; Mutchu Mithi, MLA cum Advisor to HME, Government of Arunachal Pradesh and Dr. Ranoj Pegu, Minister for Higher Education School Education, Tribal & IT.
The conclave is expected to result in a collaborative framework among North Eastern states for sharing best practices, exchanging institutional resources and mentoring implementing institutions through capacity-building initiatives developed in consultation with stakeholders.
(Takumpula Longkumer, IA)
