Student’s bear the brunt of power cuts in Nagaland

DIMAPUR, MARCH 10 (MExN): With erratic supply of power across Nagaland state, students appearing for HSLC and HSSLC exams are having a hard time. The inconsistent supply of power in Nagaland is not a new phenomenon and has been plaguing the state for many years. Though most sections of people have been affected by the power cuts, the student community appears to be suffering the heat of the crisis. Many students, while speaking to The Morung Express, conveyed their dismay over the existing status of electricity in the state. 

Seyie from Kohima stated that she has been finding it difficult to prepare for the exams due to the frequent power cuts. Bendang from Dimapur states that he has to manage his study schedule according to the load shedding schedule. He says, “I manage to maintain a schedule but I still have to study by candle light at times.”

Another student from Dimapur added that the inability to use fans in this hot weather bothers him more than having to study by candle light. He says, “I don’t mind the lack of light but I just cannot study in this heat without the fan.” 

While many families in Kohima and Dimapur have access to generators and invertors, there are students in rural Nagaland who have to make do with even worse conditions of power supply. In addition, the load shedding in Kohima and Dimapur have specific schedules however it has been reported that many areas in rural Nagaland have unscheduled and prolonged power cuts  

General Secretary of the Naga Student’s Federation, Ejangthung Ngullie stated that the NSF is “not happy with the current situation”. He said that the irregular supply of electricity every year has been affecting the results of the students. He added that the NSF has been pressurizing the concerned department to address the matter. He also expressed hope that the new government would seriously look into the problem.

President of the Konyak Student’s Union, Methna Konyak also stated that the power supply has been deplorable in Mon and has affected not just students but the whole community.

The HSLC and HSSLC exams had to be rescheduled due to the Nagaland state assembly election. Now that the elections are over and elected representatives have been assigned responsibilities, the least that elected officials could do would be to look into the problem. They must now ensure that shoddy administration and policy making do not affect the education of the state’s children.