PASIGHAT, 13 Nov: The 55th three-day annual College Day celebration of Jawaharlal Nehru College (JNC) here in East Siang district, themed ‘Hill-Top Radiance’, began on Sunday.
Speaking at the inaugural function, which was attended by, among others, Health Minister Alo Libang, Pasighat East MLA Kaling Moyong, and Arunachal Pradesh University Vice Chancellor Prof Tomo Riba, JNC Principal Dr Tasi Taloh highlighted JNC’s contributions to the society as an institute of higher learning, and said that the college’s alumni are now serving in high-ranking positions, Libang and Prof Riba being two among them.
“Today, JN College caters to more than 4,000 students with only 70 dedicated faculty members – a combination which most of the time beats down with the oddity of a narrowly acute student-teacher ratio,” he said.
He further said that, “despite the various obvious obstacles, the college has made slow but definitive progress in the last few years with continuous support from the state government.”
He highlighted the developments in the college, and urged the students to “maintain sportsmanship spirit and aim to excel in all the literary, cultural and games and sports competitions during the 55th College Day celebration.”
JNC Students’ Union general secretary Tarin Gammeng read out a two-point memorandum on behalf of the college community, and handed the same over to the minister.
Moyong in his speech acknowledged the contributions of JNC “in building not only the society of Pasighat but the entire Arunachal Pradesh as a whole.”
Saying that “the current government has kept education as its top priority,” he expressed belief that the government would “certainly consider the two-point memorandum and give a positive response.”
Libang recounted his days as a student of JNC, and said that “education is the key that can open any lock.” He advised the students to be serious about their education, saying that, “with education, you can excel in any field, be it any profession, government job, business, politics, etc.”
“If you are properly educated, you will always have an advantage over others,” he said, and added that, “these days you cannot even become a successful farmer without proper education.”
The minister assured to “do justice to the two-point memorandum by placing the memorandum further to appropriate platform in the government.”
“After the ceremonial lighting of the Olympic torch, which was carried by Albina Doley (BA first semester student and winner of the 12-km girls’ cross-country marathon) and Karik Saroh (BA third semester student and winner of the 23-km boys’ cross-country marathon), the minister declared Hill-Top Radiance 2023-’24 open by symbolically releasing colourful balloons into the sky,” the college informed in a release.
“The inaugural programme concluded with a colourful display of mega dance, presented by 400 student performers,” it said.
Four thousand odd students of the college have been divided into five different houses. They will be competing in literary, cultural and games & sports competitions over the course of three days.
The college’s cultural secretary Karik Jamoh informed that “a gala Mr and Miss JNC contest will be organised on the last cultural night, which is usually the main attraction of cultural events every year.”
Deputy Commissioner Tayi Taggu, Pasighat Municipal Council Chief Councillor Okiam Moyong Borang, HoDs, public leaders and others also attended the inaugural programme.
