Morung Express News
Kohima | July 16
‘No to False Claim on Scholarships,’ a campaign against dishonest claims on students’ scholarships initiated by the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) started on July 16 at Sazolie College, Jotsoma.
With the hashtag #NOtoFalseClaimOnScholarships and #ScholarshipToTheDeserving, the campaign will aim to encourage students in colleges and schools to pledge for applying scholarships through the eligible criteria and not resort to false claims on documents about their parents’ income and professions.
According to the Naga Students’ Federation, there are over 45,000 students applying for scholarships annually in Nagaland which includes prescribed criteria on academic excellence and parents’ income. “We, as responsible students are fully aware of the criterions but over the years have chosen to be conveniently ignorant, and irrespective of whether we deserve it or not, obtain the scholarships. We are dishonest about our parents’ profession and income, we falsify documents, we forge signatures and effectively deny our fellow students from receiving what is rightfully theirs,” stated the NSF.
Urging the students at Sazolie College to spread the culture of honesty and truthfulness, Christopher Ltu, President NSF viewed that the bottom-up approach starting from the educational institutions is an essential beginning to tackle the menace of corruption in Naga society. Ltu stated that many students in Nagaland are bogus beneficiaries of scholarships where the students falsify their parent’s income and profession to apply for scholarships.
“This is a voluntary decision. There is no compulsion here,” added Ltu. The NSF President also compared the meager amount received by Naga students in their scholarships and students in other states who received in higher amounts. Once the number of bogus beneficiaries goes down, the government can review scholarships annually and the amount for deserving students can be increased, said Ltu.
Providing a brief concept of the campaign, Aolemla Imsong, Coordinator of the campaign, also shared her personal views and story of choosing not to claim false scholarships. “This campaign is for the students and I believe that you will be responsible,” said Imsong. Social media will be a major tool to disseminate the campaign among students, therefore Imsong also urged the students to use the social media platform to restore the culture of truth and honesty.
The NSF informed that it will attempt to cover as many schools and colleges for the campaign.
“For years we have discussed about doing the right thing and now we can finally choose right over convenience. Join us by pledging your support for this campaign,” requested the NSF.
