State News

Staff Reporter ITANAGAR : The All Arunachal Pradesh Priest Welfare Association (AAPPWA) on Thursday voiced strong support for the implementation of the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act 1978 (APFRA), called for the preservation of traditional rituals during the Nyokum Festival, and opposed the demand for government honorariums for Christian priest in the state. Addressing a press conference at the Arunachal Press Club here, AAPPWA representatives said the indigenous faiths of Arunachal Pradesh form an integral part of the state’s identity, culture, customs, and traditional way of life. The association urged the state government to take immediate steps for the effective implementation of APFRA, stating that protecting indigenous belief systems is essential for safeguarding the state’s unique heritage for future generations. Expressing concern over the gradual decline of traditional ritual practices during Nyokum celebrations in various parts of the state, the association emphasized the importance of preserving sacred chants, prayers, rituals, and ceremonial practices performed by senior indigenous priests. It noted that these traditions embody ancestral wisdom and have been passed down orally through generations. ‘Nyokum Yullo is a major agrarian festival celebrated annually by the Nyishi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh on February 26’. AAPPWA appealed to all Nyokum Festival Celebration Committees to ensure the active participation of experienced traditional priests and the proper conduct of traditional rituals during festival celebrations. The association warned that failure to preserve these practices could lead to the erosion of indigenous identity and cultural heritage. The association also strongly opposed recent demands for government honorariums for Christian Fathers/Priests in Arunachal Pradesh. It maintained that indigenous priests are the original custodians of the state’s traditional faiths, customs, rituals, and cultural heritage, and argued that extending government honorariums to religious functionaries of faiths that originated outside the indigenous traditions of Arunachal Pradesh could undermine efforts to preserve and promote indigenous belief systems. AAPPWA asserted that if the government intends to introduce any policy relating to honorariums or welfare assistance for religious functionaries, priority should be given to indigenous priests who have dedicated their lives to preserving ancestral traditions and cultural heritage. The association further appealed to the state government to formulate a comprehensive welfare policy for indigenous priests, including official recognition, preservation of traditional knowledge systems, cultural promotion, and financial assistance for elderly priests who continue to serve their communities. Reiterating its commitment to the protection and promotion of indigenous faiths, customs, rituals, and cultural heritage, AAPPWA called upon indigenous communities, civil society organizations, and the government to work together in safeguarding the ancestral traditions and identity of Arunachal Pradesh.      

ITANAGAR : In a significant boost to the education sector in Shi Yomi district, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas Arunachal Pradesh Trust for the establishment of a Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya (VKV) at Tato. The proposed school will be set up from the existing Government Secondary School, Tato, and will function as a co-educational day-cum-residential institution. The initiative is expected to enhance access to quality education and provide holistic learning opportunities for students from Tato and surrounding areas. Welcoming the development, Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona described the project as a major milestone for Tato and Shi Yomi district. “This is a major good news for Tato and Shi Yomi district. The proposed VKV will open new possibilities for quality education and holistic development of children in the region,” he said. Sona added that the signing of the MoU marks an important step towards fulfilling the educational aspirations of the people of Shi Yomi and strengthening the foundation for future generations. The VKV is expected to bring the institution’s established educational values and experience closer to students in the district, promoting academic excellence, discipline, character-building and all-round development. The state government also expressed gratitude to all stakeholders involved in the initiative and reiterated its commitment to improving educational infrastructure and expanding access to quality education, particularly in remote and frontier districts.      

Staff Reporter ITANAGAR : The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), under the Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India, is set to disburse incentives to eligible beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana (PMVBRY) through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode. Addressing a press conference at the Arunachal Press Club on Thursday, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-II, Itanagar, Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, said that the PMVBRY scheme, launched by the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to support newly recruited employees as well as employers by promoting employment generation and extending social security coverage. Srivastava informed that the scheme has been successfully implemented across the country, including Arunachal Pradesh. Under the programme, benefits amounting to nearly Rs 2,400 crore will be distributed directly into the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries through DBT. He further stated that the Ministry of Labour & Employment will organise a nationwide incentive distribution programme on June 19 at around 200 locations across the country, including Itanagar. According to him, nearly 250 employees from Arunachal Pradesh are among the beneficiaries who will receive incentives under the scheme. The PMVBRY covers jobs created between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2027, reflecting the Government’s commitment towards employment generation, skill development and expansion of social security benefits for workers across the nation. The Itanagar programme will be attended by representatives of industries and establishments, beneficiaries of the scheme, and officials from both the Central and State Governments.    

NEW DELHI : The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to pass any interim order on a plea challenging the implementation of a CBSE policy mandating the study of three languages, including two native Indian languages, for Class 9 students from the 2026-27 academic session. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice V Mohana tagged the plea filed by NGO Friends of People for Active Democracy with similar petitions pending on the issue. “We cannot pass a single-line order today. This matter was argued at length. There is no question of interim protection,” the bench said as it ordered the tagging of the matter. During the brief hearing, the counsel appearing for the NGO submitted that they are not challenging the three-language policy per se but just the implementation part of it. CJI Kant then questioned the NGO’s name, Friends Of People For Active Democracy, and asked in a lighter vein if that kind of nomenclature was meant to create fear in the mind of the court or the people. The counsel replied, “No, my lord. That’s the name of the trust. It’s an old trust set up in 2013”, and submitted that the CBSE was required to issue detailed guidelines by June 15. The bench, however, listed the matter for hearing on July 14 along with other pending petitions. On May 27, the top court agreed to examine the plea challenging a CBSE policy mandating the study of three languages and issued notices to the Centre, the CBSE and the NCERT and sought comprehensive replies within two weeks. It had asked ASG Aishwarya Bhati to submit a report on the logistical preparedness of the CBSE to implement the decision and posted the matter for hearing in the second week of July. According to a recent circular issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the study of three languages, including at least two native Indian languages, has been made compulsory for Class 9 students beginning July 1. The move is part of the CBSE’s alignment of its scheme of studies with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023. “In order to adequately address the competencies envisaged at the Secondary Stage, these textbooks will be supplemented with one appropriate local or state literary material, selected by schools, such as short stories, poems, or nonfiction works,” the board said. It added that detailed guidelines regarding the selection and pedagogical use of supplementary literary material would be issued by June 15. According to the circular issued on May 15, students opting for a foreign language may do so only as the third language after studying two native Indian languages, or as an additional fourth language. “With effect from July 1, 2026, for Class IX, the study of three languages (R1, R2, R3) shall be compulsory, with at least two languages being native Indian languages,” the circular said. The board said till the dedicated R3 textbooks are available, Class 9 students shall use the Class 6 R3 textbooks (2026-27 edition) of the chosen language. The CBSE said to keep the focus on learning and reduce any undue pressure on students, no board examination shall be conducted for R3 at the Class 10 level. “All assessments for R3 shall be entirely school-based and internal. The performance of students in R3 will be duly reflected in the CBSE certificate. It is clarified that no student will be barred from appearing in the Class X Board Examinations due to R3. Sample question papers, rubrics for internal assessment will be shared by the board shortly,” it added.   The board also asked schools to update their R3 language offerings for Classes 6 to 9 on the OASIS portal by June 30. According to the board, Class 6 R3 textbooks in 19 scheduled languages will be made available to schools before July 1, while for the remaining native Indian languages, schools may use the available State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and state-level resources. The board further said schools facing a shortage of adequately qualified native Indian language teachers may, as an interim arrangement, engage existing teachers of other subjects who possess functional proficiency in the language concerned. “Collaborative and flexible mechanisms such as inter-school resource sharing through Sahodaya clusters, virtual or hybrid teaching support, engagement of retired language teachers, and utilisation of suitably qualified postgraduates may be adopted,” it added. The CBSE further said relaxations would be provided to children with special needs in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, while foreign students returning to India may get case-by-case exemptions from the requirement of studying two native Indian languages. In April, the CBSE had announced a phased implementation of the three-language formula from Class 6 and the introduction of a two-level system for mathematics and science for Class 9 from the 2026-27 academic session. Under the proposed structure, mathematics and science will have two levels — mandatory standard and optional advanced courses. While all students will appear for a common 80-mark examination, those opting for higher proficiency can take an additional advance-level paper aimed at testing deeper conceptual understanding and higher-order thinking skills. (Source: PTI)      

NAMSAI : The first-quarter meeting of the District Level Monitoring Committee (DLMC) was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall here on Thursday under the chairmanship of Namsai MLA Chau Zingnu Namchoom. The meeting reviewed the progress and implementation status of various developmental and welfare schemes across the district, with discussions focusing on effective monitoring, timely execution of projects, and improved service delivery. Addressing the meeting, Namchoom stressed the need for stronger inter-departmental coordination and urged departments to maintain transparency, accountability and efficiency in implementing developmental activities. He emphasised that the benefits of government schemes must reach intended beneficiaries without delay. Namsai Deputy Commissioner CR Khampa highlighted the achievements and challenges of various departments and called for greater cooperation among stakeholders to strengthen monitoring mechanisms and enhance public service delivery. Earlier, Namsai District Planning Officer outlined the objectives of the meeting and underscored the importance of periodic reviews to ensure effective implementation of government programmes. The meeting was attended by Namsai Zilla Parishad Chairperson Chow Sujana Namchoom, Zilla Parishad Members (ZPMs) from Chongkham, Upper Lekang and Ningroo constituencies, heads of departments and other officials. The members also deliberated on sector-specific issues and resolved to work collectively to accelerate developmental initiatives and ensure effective implementation of welfare schemes across the district. (DIPR)

NAMSAI : A review meeting of all Booth Level Officers (BLOs) under the 47-Namsai (ST) Assembly Constituency on the distribution of enumeration forms for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall here on Thursday. Namsai Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer CR Khampa and Electoral Registration Officer Namsai briefed the BLOs on the procedures and guidelines for the distribution of enumeration forms and underscored the importance of completing the exercise efficiently within the prescribed timeline. The officers emphasised accuracy, transparency and proper verification during the revision process to ensure that all eligible electors are covered and the electoral roll remains updated and error-free. The BLOs were also directed to maintain effective coordination and ensure smooth implementation of the exercise across their respective polling areas. The meeting concluded with instructions to all BLOs to discharge their responsibilities diligently for the successful completion of the electoral roll revision exercise. (DIPR)