Nagaland conducts State Level Parliamentary Quiz and Youth Parliament Competition
Our Correspondent
Kohima | October 20
Youth from 10 districts of the state on October 20 joined State Level Parliamentary Quiz and Youth Parliament Competition here and shared their opinions and displayed their leadership quality.
Held at ATI Imagine Hall, Minister for School Education & Parliamentary Affairs, Tokheho Yepthomi said the theme “Youth in strengthening democracy” holds relevance in our country today more than ever because of the vast number of youth population.
“A platform such as this is where faith in the ideals of democracy is reinforced.”
The minister hoped that the event would broaden the perspectives of the youth and inculcate a sense of tolerance and respect for other opinions.
Yepthomi said another aspect is freedom to practice religion. “It is democracy that allows us to be a Christian state in a Hindu majority country.” The minister urged the students to make the platform an avenue to understand and appreciate democracy.
Chumremo Odyuo, secretary, Department of Parliamentary Affairs Nagaland highlighted the history of the programme since its inception in 1965.
He said the purpose of the programme is to create awareness and to train the young students about their role as citizens in a democracy.
The youth parliament is conducted to make students understand the parliamentary procedures, to develop in students an insight into the working of parliament, to make students consider public issues and form their opinion on them, train students in the technique of group discussion, to develop in them respect and tolerance for their views of others, to develop in students the quality of leadership, to make students understand the common man’s point of view and express it in an articulated manner.
“The youth parliament is a programme in which group discussion and role playing techniques can effectively used. When students participate in such programmes, they get trained in the technique of group discussion and develop leadership quality,” he said.
Odyuo said the procedure of the programme will help in developing an insight in to the working of parliament, and also the scheme of Youth Parliament will go a long way in equipping the future legislators for their role in the country’s Parliament and State Legislatures.
He also urged upon all teachers and citizens that training of our youth in such areas is very important for the smooth functioning of government.
In Nagaland, the department of parliamentary affairs in coordination with school education department has been organizing his youth parliament competition and parliamentary quiz programme every year since 2005-06.
Kohima College Assistant Professor, Dr. Eunice Alinger chaired the programme while parliamentary affairs deputy secretary Tsuktimar Jamir proposed vote of thanks.
