A region-specific framework for implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in the Northeast, including separate norms for hilly areas and closer coordination among the eight states, emerged as a key focus at the two-day Northeast Education Conclave 2026.
The conclave, organised by the Department of Higher Education, Nagaland, began in Chumoukedima district on the theme “Implementation of NEP 2020: Vision, Challenges & Opportunities for the North Eastern states”. It has brought together policymakers, educators and administrators from across the region to discuss opportunities and challenges in the education sector.
In his keynote address, Nagaland University Vice-Chancellor Jagadish K Patnaik called for a contextual and inclusive transformation of education in the Northeast. He identified accessibility, equity, quality, flexibility, multilingualism and holistic development as key priorities under NEP 2020, and said indigenous knowledge should be turned into academic strength while skills are upgraded through technology. He also raised funding as a major concern, saying that although the policy envisages substantially higher investment in education, the mechanism for mobilising the required resources remains unclear.
Mizoram Education Minister Dr Vanlalthlana suggested that education ministers from the Northeast should meet twice a year under the North Eastern Council and submit joint proposals on schemes based on a common assessment of the region’s needs. He said most provisions under NEP and the Right to Education Act were designed with plain areas in mind, and called for a separate index and system for hilly areas, especially in the Northeast, along with separate construction norms for hill areas. He also pointed to declining enrolment in government schools across the region, and said that in Nagaland, government schools make up around 80 per cent of the total number of schools but account for only about 33 per cent of enrolment.
Nagaland Higher Education and Tourism Minister Temjen Imna Along said the conclave was intended to bring together the region’s experiences, challenges and possible solutions to develop a comprehensive approach to implementing NEP 2020. He said degrees alone were no longer enough to ensure employment and stressed the need to examine the impact of academic education and encourage critical thinking. Along also raised the issue of including Christian studies in university curricula in the Northeast, particularly in states such as Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya where Christianity has a significant presence, and said the discussion was about curriculum and academic study rather than religious institutions.
Tripura Higher Education and Panchayats Minister Kishor Barman said NEP 2020 represented not just an education policy but a change in the way education is approached. He said students must stay connected to their language, culture and traditions while also being equipped with artificial intelligence, digital technology, research, innovation, entrepreneurship and other skills. “Northeast India is not a distant corner of India. Northeast India is an important strength of India-in knowledge, culture, innovation and in human resources,” Barman said, adding that while roots should remain in the region, aspirations should be global.
Assam Education Minister Dr Ranoj Pegu said skills must be integrated with knowledge, adding that knowledge alone could not make students employable. He said IT, media and technology literacy had become essential 21st-century skills across disciplines, while research and innovation were critical to achieving the country’s development goals by 2047. Arunachal Pradesh MLA and Adviser to the HME Mutchu Mithi said decisions taken in education would have far-reaching consequences for future generations and should be assessed for their long-term impact.
In a message read out by Along, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said the conclave had provided a platform for dialogue, exchange of ideas and sharing of experiences on the opportunities and challenges facing the education sector. He said he hoped the deliberations would strengthen the region’s educational ecosystem and help prepare young people with the knowledge, skills, values and confidence needed in a rapidly changing world. The two-day conclave is expected to work towards a collaborative framework among the northeastern states for sharing best practices, institutional resources and capacity-building initiatives.
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With PTI inputs