Empty desks at this over

Nagaland has nine government polytechnics offering a varying range of trade-specific diploma courses but one out of those institutions has had nil enrollment for three consecutive years.
Government Polytechnic Peren (GPP), which offers short term certificate and diploma programmes in interior design, was established in 2021 and opened enrollment for students the subsequent year. However, there has been no takers till date.
Officials say that everything is in place including faculty and staff and the college is ready to run but for lack of students.
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When HT looked into the facilities of the institution, there are four blocks including a boys hostel, academic block, principal’s quarters and two staff quarters. There is no girls hostel, and the road condition leading to GPP from nearby Jalukie
town is dirt-poor that on rainy days, the staff traveling to the institute are said to have to leave their vehicles at nearby Jalukie and trek for around 35 minutes.
An informed source who requested anonymity said there is no proper water supply facility except for one ring well in the campus whose water is said to have high iron content and not suitable for consumption. It was learnt that electricity was connected three years after the polytechnic was established, only a few months ago; there is no broadband service in the campus and mobile internet reception is very poor.
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There are about 15 staff employed under GPP including the principal and faculty. With no students enrolled, the staff are said to be present at the institute in smaller groups on a rotational basis. “We come here often to just have meetings and to clean up the campus,” a staff confided.
This year, three students were selected through the diploma entrance exam (DEE) conducted by the state technical education department, to undergo three years diploma programme in interior designing. Out of the three, only one student turned up for admission but later had a change of mind and did not take up the seat.
Sources said no proper survey of the course was done prior to setting up of the polytechnic. “Interior designing courses involves a lot of practical case studies and surveys. I think location (of GPP) is the main issue,” says an official from the department.
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GPP was established through central financial assistance to state governments for setting up of new polytechnics in unserved and undeserved districts under the scheme of sub-mission on polytechnics under coordinated action for skill development.
Under the scheme, a one time financial assistance is to be provided to the state governments for meeting the capital cost in establishment of new polytechnics in the districts which do not have any government/government aided polytechnic and in other educationally backward and underserved districts where it may not be easy to establish new
polytechnics under public private partnership (PPP) mode or under private initiative.
Under the scheme, the states are sanctioned ₹12.3 crore per polytechnic to meet the capital costs of setting up such institutions in districts identified as un-served or underserved. The central grant of ₹12.3 crore is to meet the non-recurring costs – ₹8 crore for civil works and ₹4.30 crore for equipments, machinery, furniture, vehicle etc. while the state government shall provide the land required as per All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) norms, and also meet any additional requirement of non-recurring expenditure over and above the ceiling of ₹12.30 crores, and further bear all the recurring
expenditure in running the polytechnic.
The AICTE approved GPP currently offers three years diploma and one year certification courses in interior design. The latter was notified recently in July. The program offers courses in residential design, commercial design, software design, project management, and client interaction.
HT reached out to professional interior designers to get their views on GPP and the scope of interior designing in Nagaland.
“The scope for interior designers in Nagaland is expanding rapidly, driven by urbanization and a rising demand for aesthetically pleasing and functional spaces. Pursuing an interior design course from a recognised institute would greatly benefit young students. If the state government is providing such courses with highly qualified faculty, students should grab the opportunity,” says Asen Ao, a Dimapur-based professional interior designer. She asserts her believe that many young Nagas would excel in the field and should consider it as a viable alternative to traditional government white-collar jobs.
Another established interior and landscape designer, Soren Odyuo from Kohima says the scope of interior designing has really grown in Nagaland over the years that it is now becoming not only a lifestyle but necessity too. On the challenges of the profession, she says no job or task is easy. “One needs to have the passion to endure any work pressure or stress. For me, in the beginning it was a rough climb but with experience and mistakes, we all learn. I would like to encourage young interior designer aspirants that if they have the passion and work hard, they can surely sustain themselves here in Nagaland,” Odyuo added.
GPP is the first polytechnic in Peren district and is situated in New Peren, around 15 km from Jalukie town and 30 km from Old Peren town. The nearest airport and railway station are in Dimapur, which is a two-hours drive away.