Dimapur Government College (DGC), in collaboration with its Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) and Research Development Cell (RDC), organised a One-Day State Level Seminar on August 12 under the theme “Cogitations on Pedagogy and Culture in the Naga Context.” The event, sponsored by the Department of Higher Education, Government of Nagaland, was part of its initiative to support Minor Research Projects across disciplines.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Maongkala Longchar said education must go beyond the transmission of knowledge, reflecting cultural values, worldviews, and lived experiences. She emphasised that in the Naga context, pedagogy should engage with diverse cultural heritage, oral traditions, and evolving socio-political realities. Longchar urged for teaching methods rooted in indigenous perspectives that promote critical thinking, inclusivity, and holistic development while remaining connected to grassroots realities. She cited examples from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Nagaland to illustrate how pedagogy could be tailored to local cultural contexts within central regulatory parameters.
The inaugural programme was chaired by Dr. Meripeni Ngullie and included a welcome address by DGC Principal Dr. T. Tiakaba Jamir, an invocation by Keweu Vupru, and a vote of thanks by Nungsangtola Walling.
Technical Session I featured four faculty research presentations funded under the Minor Research Projects scheme: Dr. Lanurenla analysed Ao-Naga cultural texts through a semiotic lens; Dr. Yelhi Vero examined positive portrayals of women in Chakhesang folktales; Dr. Richard Dzüvichü compared traditional peer groups among Angamis and Aos; and Ruthsan Y documented material culture in the Yimkhiung Naga tribe.
Technical Session II, chaired by Dr. A. Sentiyula, included presentations by H. Jekugha Sema on a contrastive analysis of Sümi and English consonants; Dr. Prajadip Sinha on a multilingual electronic dictionary for Naga dialects; Dr. Pallab Changkakoti on tobacco use among Kohima school students; and Dr. Hare Krushna Parhi on teaching aptitude and attitudes among B.Ed. student teachers in Nagaland.
The valedictory session, chaired by Diethoseu Mepfhuo, featured rapporteurs’ reports, closing remarks by Dr. Vinyühu Lhoungu, and the distribution of certificates. Dr. Wabangnaro Imchen expressed gratitude to the Department of Higher Education and all participants. The seminar was widely appreciated as a platform for integrating research, pedagogy, and cultural heritage in the Naga context.
