The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has submitted a formal representation to Nagaland Chief Minister, appealing for the urgent upgradation of Khelhoshe Polytechnic Atoizu (KPA) into a full-fledged engineering college. Citing over five decades of contribution to technical education in the state, the NSF highlighted the long-pending necessity of expanding KPA’s scope beyond diploma-level courses to meet the growing demands for higher technical education within Nagaland.
“Despite its legacy and potential, the institution remains limited to diploma-level education, depriving students from Nagaland of opportunities to pursue technical education within the state,” the NSF said.
The NSF said that the KPA, established in 1972, has played a pivotal role in developing skilled professionals across government departments, private industries, and other sectors in Nagaland. However, it added, the absence of an engineering college in the state continues to compel thousands of students to pursue costly engineering degrees outside Nagaland, leading to immense financial strain on families, brain drain, and a dependency on external institutions.
The NSF pointed out that the Nagaland Cabinet had, on December 17, 2007, approved the introduction of a Civil Engineering Degree Course at KPA, along with a resolution to upgrade the institution to a degree-level engineering college. “However, this approved upgradation has not materialized for over a decade,” the NSF said.
Maintaining that KPA surpasses the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) requirement of five years of operation for such upgradation, the NSF noted that the polytechnic’s existing infrastructure and faculty base position it well for a smooth transition to an engineering college with minimal additional investment.
Describing the upgrade as “not just an academic necessity but also a strategic imperative” for the state’s progress, the NSF called on the Chief Minister to expedite the implementation of the Cabinet-approved upgradation without further delay.
“In light of these urgent concerns and decades in lapses, we earnestly urge your esteemed office to take immediate steps toward implementing the already approved upgradation of Khelhoshe Polytechnic to a full-fledged Engineering College without further ado,” the representation stated.