ITANAGAR, 21 Aug: The All Nyishi Students’ Union (ANSU) said it is stepping up efforts to address the longstanding shortage of sociology department in government colleges across Arunachal Pradesh.
“The issue, which has persisted for several years despite repeated appeals, continues to hinder academic and professional opportunities for aspiring students in the state,” it said in a release.
In a recent meeting held at the Rajiv Gandhi University’s sociology department, ANSU education secretary Arun Riang, in the presence of representatives of the Arunachal Sociology Forum, expressed deep concern over the continued neglect of sociology as an academic discipline in the state’s higher education system.
Riang assured that the ANSU would now spearhead the matter with renewed seriousness, calling it a “prime moral objective” of the union.
“Despite years of advocacy, we are yet to see any significant outcome. The absence of sociology courses in government colleges is not just a failure in educational policy; it is a missed opportunity to shape informed, aware, and socially responsible citizens,” he said.
The lack of institutional support for sociology has left many graduates without clear career pathways. As a result, students who wish to pursue the subject are forced to either migrate outside the state or abandon their academic interest altogether. Many qualified sociology graduates remain unemployed, as opportunities to utilize their education within the state remain scarce, the union said.
“Sociology as a discipline plays a crucial role in understanding the dynamics of society, culture, development, and governance. In a diverse and culturally rich state like Arunachal, the relevance of sociology cannot be overstated,” it said, adding that the subject enables students to critically analyze social issues such as poverty, inequality, gender, tribal identity, migration, and development policies – “all of which are highly pertinent to the state’s socio-political landscape.”
“Moreover, a solid academic grounding in sociology can open up diverse career avenues in civil services, social work, research, academia, policymaking, NGOs, and community development. It also helps in building a more empathetic, analytical, and community-oriented generation of youths, which is vital for the inclusive growth of the state,” the release stated.
The ANSU said it will now prepare to intensify its advocacy by engaging with the Education Department and university authorities.
