Kohima: Nagaland Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen warned graduates this week that the state government is running out of room. The public sector is full. With 1,22,701 government workers serving a population of 19,78,502, the employment ratio sits at a thin 6.2 percent.
Imchen spoke at the 14th graduation ceremony for the Modern Institute of Teacher Education in Kohima. He laid out the bleak math for aspiring teachers. The state employs 17,825 teachers, but only 169 will retire by the end of 2026. Meanwhile, eight B.Ed. colleges pump out 650 new teachers every year. "The government employment sector is highly saturated," Imchen said.
The data shows a massive divide between schools and the workforce. Between 2022 and 2025, over 33,000 students graduated from local institutes. Only 3,197 of them landed state government jobs. Imchen warned that a standard degree no longer guarantees a paycheck. He pushed for new courses in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cyber Security, Fin Tech, and Renewable Energy. These fields offer entry-level pay between Rs 6 and 10 lakhs, with senior roles reaching 30 lakhs.
Modern Institute of Teacher Education Principal Dr. Kate Dandesh Kumar highlighted the school's success. The college secured 9 of the top 20 spots in Nagaland University rankings this year, including the top three positions. Since the school started, it has produced 1,289 teachers with a 96.09 percent pass rate over the last eight batches. Kumar asked the Chief Secretary for funds to buy Interactive Smart Boards and upgrade the auditorium.
Valedictorian Vikethozo Kuotsu spoke to his peers after taking Rank 1. He told the crowd to use failure as a tool for growth. The ceremony wrapped up with student performances and the official handing out of certificates.
Updated at 25th August 2026 at 1:49pm
New figures show the gap between education and the workforce is wider than previously reported. While the state saw 33,000 graduates in the last three years, official records confirm the exact count of alumni from affiliated institutes stands at 33,211. Retirement figures are also more specific, with the 169 departures scheduled strictly between August and December of 2026.
MITE officials provided more detail on their recent academic success. Beyond the top three spots, the college claimed ranks 5, 8, 9, 13, and 14 in the university rankings. In total, the institution has produced 107 university rankers since opening. Principal Dr. Kate Dandesh Kumar noted the school is pushing to align with the National Education Policy 2020 by embedding AI and digital literacy into daily lessons to create tech-ready educators.
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