Photo Courtesy: Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay | For representational purpose only
Yievinyii Naga
The board exams are over. Or maybe they are still on, the pen scratching on paper, the heart racing in every classroom from Kohima to Dimapur, from the hills of Phek to the valleys of Wokha. Class 10 and 12 students of Nagaland are at a crossroads, staring at results, staring at dreams, staring at the unknown.
For months, maybe years, you’ve studied, sacrificed, and carried the hopes of your parents, your teachers, and your village on your shoulders. And now, you face a question that feels bigger than life itself: “What next?” Degree or diploma? The choice seems small on paper, but in your heart, it feels like deciding the course of your destiny.
Degree – The Road That Takes You Far
A degree is more than a piece of paper. It’s nights of studying while your siblings sleep, it’s learning things that challenge your mind, it’s meeting people who see the world differently, it’s stepping outside the familiar hills and valleys of home.
It’s the path of curiosity, of growth, of thinking beyond your village. For those who dream of becoming doctors, engineers, teachers, or public servants who dream of standing on stages beyond Nagaland it is a path worth every challenge.
Yet it is not easy. There will be lonely nights. Questions about why you chose this road. Doubts about whether you will fit in. But every step you take builds strength, knowledge, and courage.
Diploma – The Road That Brings You Close
A diploma is practical. Immediate. Real. It teaches you skills, prepares you for jobs, and allows you to earn while learning. It is the path of hands-on work: healthcare, hospitality, IT, trades, and vocations that build communities.
For students wanting to stay in Nagaland, to support their families, to serve their villages, to create jobs and opportunities locally it is a powerful choice.
It is fast, focused, and tangible. And sometimes, the fastest way to make your people proud is by being useful, skilled, and strong right where you are.
Nagaland Is Watching, Waiting, Hoping
Our state is young, full of potential, yet fragile. We need dreamers and doers, thinkers and builders. Your choice is not just about you it ripples across families, villages, and the generations after you.
Nagaland is waiting for leaders who are humble, strong, and unafraid to follow their own path.
Some of you will cry today, fearing the wrong choice. Some of you will feel lost, thinking you’ve already failed. Let me tell you this: you have not failed. You are alive, capable, and full of potential.
Whether you choose a degree or diploma, you are choosing your courage, your effort, and your hope. You are writing your story. And that story matters to your family, to your village, and to Nagaland.
A Final Word for the Young Hearts of Nagaland
Take a deep breath. Look around at the hills that raised you, the rivers that guided you, the teachers who believed in you, and the parents who sacrificed for you. Your choice is yours. There is no single “right” answer.
• Dream big, explore, learn deeply – choose a degree.
• Learn fast, act, serve your community – choose a diploma.
Whatever you choose, choose it with your heart, your courage, and your vision for Nagaland. The state is counting on you. Your story is not over. It is only beginning.
And one day, when you stand on your path, whether far from home or right at its heart, you will see the tears, the fears, and the sleepless nights were never wasted. They became your wings.
Degree or Diploma : the choice is yours. Nagaland’s future waits for you.
(Hiekha + NagaNext Educational Initiatives: Two young educators reimagining education with roots in Naga heritage and eyes on the future.)
Readers Can Reach Out to hiekhacoachingcentrekohima@gmail.com
