Arunachal Pradesh is preparing a programme, in collaboration with the Army, to sponsor young people from the state for coaching towards officer-level entry into the Armed Forces and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), Chief Minister Pema Khandu has announced.
Selected candidates would be sent to coaching institutions to prepare for the entrance examinations. The initiative, expected to begin this year, would help more young people from the state become commissioned officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force and CAPFs.
Khandu announced the plan while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 46th Annual College Week celebrations at Dera Natung Government College (DNGC) in Itanagar.
Rs 3,100 crore invested in Mission Shikshit Arunachal
Highlighting the state government’s investment in education, the Chief Minister said Rs 3,100 crore had been invested in the first phase of Mission Shikshit Arunachal. The second phase has commenced with an initial allocation of Rs 1,500 crore, which he said would be enhanced after a review of requirements.
Khandu also announced a phased infrastructure development plan for DNGC, with a dedicated officer from the Chief Minister’s Office coordinating with the public works, water supply and electrical departments on the institution’s requirements.
DNGC, established in 1979, is among the oldest colleges in the state and has 5,102 students enrolled. The Chief Minister stressed the need to make higher education multidisciplinary, with a focus on skills, research and innovation.
Beyond the classroom
He also highlighted the Arunachal Academic Excellence Scheme, which gives scholarships to students admitted to universities ranked among the top 150 in the QS World University Rankings.
He said the state had built platforms for young people to develop their talents, naming Arunachal Idol, Mr Arunachal, Miss Arunachal and Arunachal Got Talent as showcases for young artists.
In sports, he noted that the state had won more than 1,000 medals at national and international levels and secured Asian Games representation for the first time. Six young athletes from the state were recently picked for the Army Sports Institute, and the Chief Minister opened an NCC Academy in Pasighat to channel young people towards uniformed service.
Khandu said the state had partnered with the National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (NIMAS) to train 400 youth every year in mountaineering, trekking, paragliding, rafting and scuba diving, equipping them for adventure tourism livelihoods. He also named school-level contests such as Battle of Minds and the Maths Olympiad, and the proposed Arunachal Yuva Samanvay event, besides his push to strengthen government schools across the state. Urging students to use technology and digital platforms constructively, he said online learning had created unprecedented opportunities for the younger generation.
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