Officials during the launch of ‘Nebula’ at Pilgrim Higher Secondary School, Dimapur on April 18.
.png)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 18
Pilgrim Higher Secondary School, in collaboration with NITI Academy, Dimapur, launched “Nebula,” a School Integrated Programme (SIP) for Class 11 and 12 Science students. The initiative aims to integrate specialised learning for competitive examinations, including NEET, JEE, and CUET in the school curriculum.
The SIP, said to be the first of its kind in Nagaland, was formally launched on April 18 at a programme organised in the school. According to the school’s Administrator, Bithungo Kikon, its primary objective is to provide professional entrance exam preparation within regular school hours, eliminating the need for students to seek external tuitions or travel outside the state for coaching.
Kikon outlined three primary reasons for implementing the SIP. First, he noted the programme will provide students with access to high-quality faculty sourced from premier institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER). Secondly, he said that the evolving nature of the education system demands adaptability, and partnering with others allows for overcoming individual limitations, while staying dynamic. Thirdly, Kikon stated that the programme is a cost-effective alternative for parents who would otherwise spend large amounts sending children to coaching hubs in mainland India.
The Minister for Higher Education and Tourism, Temjen Imna Along, who was scheduled to launch the initiative, was unable to attend the programme. His speech was read out by the Deputy Director of Tourism, Kakishe K Sema. In his message, the Minister described the introduction of the Nebula SIP as a “commendable step towards academic excellence” in the state. He expressed confidence that the initiative would provide students with the guidance necessary to achieve their aspirations and future goals.
Rishav Sethi, CEO of NITI, detailed the potential of Nebula to address the challenges faced by Naga students. Reflecting on his own experience as a state topper for JEE Mains and Advanced in 2014, Sethi spoke on the difficulties of moving to Delhi for studies. He said that national competition is high, with over 20 lakh students competing for fewer than 5,000 seats in premier colleges.
Sethi highlighted that the programme utilises the constitutional benefits provided to students in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. Noting the “50 percent marks difference” in cut-offs compared to the general category, he encouraged local students to utilise the benefit.
According to him, the programme is designed to deliver results through a faculty of former IITians with years of experience in molding students for competitive success. “Right now we are not looking at all on the monetary aspect of it. First, we want to do something for the society,” he stated.
Bishnu Bhattacharjee, Chairman of the Linguistic Minority Forum of Nagaland, who attended as a guest of honour, spoke on the importance of developing local facilities. He described the launch of the SIP as a big step toward “reducing our pressure, our burden” by allowing students to remain in a familiar environment while receiving high-quality instruction.
