Education ministers from the Northeast have urged the Centre to adopt region-specific rules for implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, arguing that the current framework overlooks the unique challenges of hilly states.
At the Northeast Education Conclave 2026, officials from all the eight states in the region highlighted how terrain, scattered settlements, and infrastructure gaps make plain-area norms unsuitable for the region.
Mizoram Education Minister Dr Vanlalthlana called for a separate index and construction norms tailored to hilly areas, stressing that existing provisions under NEP and the Right to Education Act fail to reflect ground realities.
The issue is stark in Nagaland, where government schools make up 80% of institutions but serve only 33% of enrolment. This mismatch underscores the difficulty of maintaining a vast school network across remote, hard-to-reach areas.
North-East Education Conclave 2026 commences in Nagaland.
Brings together key stakeholders from School and Higher and Technical Education across the North-Eastern States.
Held in collaboration with Union Education Ministry, the Conclave will deliberate on the vision, challenges… pic.twitter.com/2GiK0Y530e
— Ministry of Education (@EduMinOfIndia) September 18, 2026
Nagaland University Vice-Chancellor Jagadish K Patnaik added that educational transformation in the Northeast must prioritize accessibility, equity, quality, flexibility, multilingualism, and holistic development. He emphasized integrating indigenous knowledge into curricula while leveraging technology to expand learning opportunities.
Funding remains a critical concern. While NEP 2020 envisions higher investment in education, Patnaik noted that the roadmap for mobilizing resources is still unclear, leaving states uncertain about how to meet ambitious targets.
The conclave’s central message: a “one-size-fits-all” policy risks deepening inequities. With schools in hilly terrain facing unique logistical and infrastructural hurdles, ministers demanded contextual implementation of NEP 2020 to ensure that reforms truly reach students in the Northeast.