Nagaland jobless rate double national average, says Chief Secretary

Nagaland's unemployment rate is more than twice the national average, Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen said on Friday, as he urged universities and colleges in the state to bring in industry-oriented courses.

Imchen was speaking at a consultative seminar on "Emerging Trends: Introduction and Realising Potential", organised by the state's Department of Higher and Technical Education, India Today NE reported.

The numbers

Quoting the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) report of March 2026, Imchen said:

• unemployment among people aged 15 to 59 in Nagaland stands at 7.3%, against a national average of 3.5%
• youth unemployment in the state is 17.5%, against 9.9% nationally

He also cited a 2025 report on unemployment, skills and migration in Nagaland, which found that 92% of the state's residents had no formal vocational or technical education and 78% of workers had no previous work experience.

What he wants colleges to do

Imchen said fast-moving technology, climate change and shifting economic demands were changing both education and jobs. He called for new disciplines such as artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity and renewable energy, along with other programmes matched to what employers need, and for more practical learning.

He welcomed Nagaland University's decision to add AI components to its postgraduate and PhD programmes from the 2026-27 session and asked other institutions to follow. To deal with shortages of infrastructure and teachers, he suggested collaboration between institutions, industry partnerships and faculty-sharing arrangements.

Update, don't rebuild

Nagaland University Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Dipak Sinha, who gave the special address, said new courses could be introduced by updating existing curricula rather than creating entirely new programmes. He stressed bringing AI into all disciplines, along with practical training, career guidance and entrepreneurship.

Technical sessions at the seminar covered renewable energy, agriculture, veterinary sciences, AI and machine learning, cybersecurity, medical technology and new teaching methods in arts and commerce.

Why it matters

Jobs have long been a pressure point in Nagaland, where a large share of educated young people look to limited government posts. The Chief Secretary's remarks come in the same week the state hosted the North East Energy Summit, where officials pitched private investment in power, and as the government pushes skilling and entrepreneurship as alternatives to public-sector employment.