KHONSA : A workshop on the development of the Nocte script was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s conference hall in Khonsa on Saturday as part of ongoing efforts to preserve and standardise the Nocte language.

The workshop was jointly organised by the Nocte Script Development Committee (NSDC) and the Centre for Endangered Languages (CFEL), Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies (AITS), Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU).

It followed a preliminary consultation held on June 20 and brought together representatives from different Nocte dialect groups.

The programme was convened by Ngaasah Tangjang and chaired by Tirap Deputy Commissioner Techu Aran. RGU linguist Dr Wanglit Mongchan served as the resource person and guided discussions on adapting the Roman script for the Nocte language.

A drafting committee comprising Gankhu Sumnyan, Noklam Bisai and Wangtum Homcha Lowang was constituted to compile the deliberations and recommendations of the workshop.

Teachers, scholars, community leaders, Panchayati Raj representatives and stakeholders from various Nocte villages actively participated in the deliberations, emphasising the need for a common script to preserve the community’s linguistic heritage and support educational development.

The organisers described the workshop as a significant milestone in the process of developing and standardising the Nocte script. They said it marks the first in a series of planned consultations aimed at strengthening the script and securing wider acceptance across all Nocte dialect groups.

Among those present were Tirap Zilla Parishad Chairperson Adv. John KK Matey, Lazu ZPM Adv. Najen Rangwang, Soha ZPM Wanglem Thingnok, Deputy Director of the Department of Tirap, Changlang and Longding (DoTCL) Wangton Lowang, besides intellectuals and other Panchayati Raj members.