When Naga teenagers want to join medical; what can armed forces do?

When Naga teenagers want to join medical; what can armed forces do?

Medziphema/Chieswema (Nagaland) 

Notably, Chieswema is also called Tsiesema locally !!

In her teens, Ms Ashikyeshon Konyak dreams about becoming a doctor.Well, there could be hundreds of such Naga damsels who want to find careers in engineering or medical.

The issue of getting 'Frontier Nagaland' for the eastern part of the state has not thwarted their dreams. But the more striking part of Ms Ashikyeshon's dream is -- she also wants to become an army officer. She is now studying at Medziphema/Ghaspani boarding school.

"Sir, you are a journalist; can you tell me how I can become an army officer?" - that was a query that left me impressed. 

I stared towards a serving military officer in the vicinity and requested him that something ought to be done to educate these children about how to make their careers. 

The officer - who hails from the outskirts of Delhi - and hence a 'neighbourly friend' - told me in his limited restriction, "We are already doing that".

I looked back at the young Konyak child's eyes and could guess there would be many others.It took a few hours when I landed at Chieswema village on the way to Wokha and here there were quite a few who too wanted to be engineers and doctors and also join the defence forces.

One boy with 70 percent plus marks in Class 12 in Chieswema said - "In fact, Sir I would be more interested in the Indian navy".

I started my research and discovered that in north east India, the Modi government is doing a lot.

The Indian Army and the Assam rifles in collaboration with organisations like National Integrity and Educational Development Organisation (NIEDO), State Bank of India and Axis Bank, and PSUs have taken a unique initiative to provide free coaching to underprivileged Naga and other native students for competitive exams like JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) and NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test).

My daughter appeared for NEET 2024 and so I know the pain. sweat and tension behind thatboth for the students and the parents. And here the Assam Rifles running under the Ministry of Homeand other central Govt agencies were providing 12 months free guidance for NEET and JEEexams. 

I was not surprised when Madam Mishra (Chieswama boarding school) told me-- "Last two years, our strike rates were 100 per cent".

Madam Mishra hails from Uttarakhand and that way she also knows the pain studentssuffer trying to make careers. Here things were available at your door steps.

In the next few hours I was on my way to Wokha town and near Botsa, I bought half a dozen Squash (vegetables) from a Class VIII Lotha girl. As a curious news hunter I grilled her about her family and career plans. She retorted: "I have heard about the boarding school run by Assam Rifles. And after Class XII, I will try for a medical course".

'Nagaland Page' link

On my way back, I met my military friend for a cup of black tea and some chips.

A gentleman officer -- he asked me :"Kuch Gyan aapke taraf se .... (Any advice about these boarding schools); - I said: "To my surprise I found them more patriots than myself.... But you make it a point that they sing the National Anthem on weekends or so".

His response was a smile. I did not pursue the matter further.

In fact, both in Chieswema and Ghaspani (Medziphema) boarding schools - number of girl aspirants outnumber boys. 

"Out of 64 students in Medziphema NEIDO centre, we have 43 girls," said one student leaving this journo (father of a daughter) almost in moist eyes.

During interaction, I told them -- they should work hard and make their parents and Nagaland proud. One of them - obviously a boy with his mischievous smartness - remarked, "We will also make India proud".

Back in Dimapur just before catching the flight to Delhi; I had a breakfast meeting with a senior Assam Rifles official. We discussed the NEIDO-Assam Rifles schools too.

He said, "The Super 50 Scheme is intended for students from families with limited means in states like Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh. The program has helped many worthy students in Nagaland. You may not know, the program goes beyond the usual classroom instruction. Boarding and lodging is free and to suit Naga local appetite there is non-veg foodsupply thrice in a week".

"I am also a parent and now in tune with the Govt policy we want that these students should thrive academically and develop in a structured, inspiring atmosphere under this holistic approach," he said.

As a parting shot, I told him -- "Chieswema Boarding school is organizing a Halloween showon Oct 31, 2024".

As he was still trying to grasp what I said - I added : "...the souls of the dead return to their homesthat day".

Inside the aircraft, as the plane was flying over the Bangladesh landscape -- my journo-inspired mind started thinking wild. 

Halloween 2024 and creation of Bangladesh !! Sam Sam Manekshawand Lt Gen JFR Jacob and the unsung Indian soldiers. 

Talking about North East India or even the insurgency-hit state of Nagaland, we all know that there have been lapses in the past. These ought to be corrected and these are slowly being done presumably in these boarding schools. The quick-fix solutions offered earlier did not yield expected results. 

ends