Kohima: In a landmark move to promote indigenous heritage and multidisciplinary education, Nagaland University, the only Central University in the state, has launched a new Master of Arts (MA) programme in Language and Culture. This interdisciplinary programme, offered by the Centre for Naga Tribal Language Studies, aims to preserve, promote, and advance the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of the Naga people. Aligned with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the course encourages students to explore a wide range of subjects beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries. Students graduating from the programme will be eligible to appear for UGC-NET in three subjects: Linguistics, Folk Literature, and Tribal and Regional Language. The first batch, comprising 20 students, is set to begin classes from August 5, 2025. Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Jagadish Kumar Patnaik, Vice-Chancellor of Nagaland University, remarked,
This programme marks a historic milestone as the first interdisciplinary master's degree of its kind introduced by our university. It is a timely and significant initiative reflecting our continued commitment to academic excellence, inclusivity, and the advancement of indigenous knowledge systems.
Designed as a four-semester programme, the course incorporates diverse academic approaches to provide a comprehensive understanding of language and culture. It seeks to break traditional silos by integrating literature, linguistics, anthropology, cultural studies, and policy analysis.Dr. Yanbeni Yanthan, Assistant Professor at the Centre, emphasized the real-world relevance of the course:
The programme is designed to address 21st-century challenges, from language revitalization and policy-making to indigenous poetics and digital cultural archiving. It has the potential to impact both academic research and grassroots development.
Graduates of this course will find diverse career opportunities in research, teaching, development sectors, consultancy, digital archiving, language planning, and policy analysis. With this initiative, Nagaland University reaffirms its role as a trailblazer in higher education, committed to fostering inclusive growth, academic innovation, and the preservation of tribal and indigenous identities.
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