Dimapur, October 13 (MExN): The Sümi Kukami Hoho (SKH) has urged the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB) to reschedule the Combined Staff Recruitment Examination (CSRE) scheduled for November 14, as it coincides with Ahuna, the traditional harvest festival of the Sümi community.
In a representation dated October 12 addressed to the NSSB chairman, the SKH said scheduling a major recruitment examination on the occasion could create a conflict for candidates seeking to participate in both the examination and the traditional festival.
The Hoho, representing village chairmen and traditional leadership of the community, noted that Ahuna holds cultural, historical and social significance for the Sümi community and is an integral part of its identity, traditions and collective heritage.
It also pointed out that the festival’s observance on November 14 is recognised in the annual cultural calendar of the Nagaland Government.
The preservation of cultural identity and the pursuit of educational and professional opportunities should complement one another rather than compel young people to choose between the two, it added.
Clarifying that its representation was neither a demand for preferential treatment nor an attempt to obstruct the recruitment process, the SKH said it respected the NSSB’s responsibility to conduct examinations fairly, transparently and impartially.
Accordingly, it urged the Board to select an alternative date that does not coincide with Ahuna and to consider major traditional festivals and community observances when preparing examination schedules in the future.
