Dimapur (Nagaland): Nagaland will soon have a Christian University which will offer all subjects for "secular students" in their higher academic pursuance, providing hi-tech and in tune with the rest of the global universities with an atmosphere of "Christian ethics".
The University, christened as North East Christian University (NECU) will be established on a 247 acres of land at Medziphema village some 30 km away from the hustle-bustle of Dimapur town.
The initial project is budgeted with an estimated amount of Rs. 180 crore of which, the lion share would be borne by American Baptist friends.
"Out of the estimated project cost, 'Friends of NECU from America' will give Rs. 120 crore and the churches' burden here will be only Rs. 60 crore," Retd. chief secretary of Nagaland and current member of NECU governing body, Alemtemshi said.
According to NECU pro-vice chancellor, Reverend Dr. A.K. Lama, a university with an environment of Christian ethics has been a corporate dream of the Council of Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI).
The foundation was laid by CBCNEI president, K.C. Momin on March 10 in the presence of Nagaland's parliamentary secretary for Higher and Technical Education, Deo Nukhu and a host of representatives from various churches in northeast India.
The upcoming university will be developed in consonance with the nature.
"I don't think there is any University campus in the country which can match the natural beauty of this campus and therefore we will make it a point to develop it properly in consonance with the nature," R. Sen, chief architecture of NECU told ANI.
Dr Lamba while sharing NECU vision, said history is our witness that the primarily institutions in the North East was pioneered by the Baptist Missionary from British Missionary Society by James Roy, who first opened the mission school in Guwahati in the year 1829. Later in 1836, two American missionaries Rev. Nathan Brown and Rev. Olive Carter followed the works in several parts of the North East in the second half of the 19th century.
Nagaland parliamentary secretary, Deo Nukhu also assured that Nagaland government will provide logistic support to NECU in what way it could especially, in areas of power and water supply.
He also appealed the villagers not to regret for having given the land.
Representatives from other Baptist conventions in northeast also assured to extend every possible help to achieve the corporate dream.
The campus is expected be activated in the next academic session in 2018 even as completion of the infrastructures take a few more years.
"Hopefully classes will start by 2018 and we target to complete the project in three to five years from now," Alemtemshi said.
Christianity is the predominant religion of Nagaland. The state's population is 1.988 million, out of which 90.02% are Christians. The 2001 census recorded the state's Christian population at 1,790,349, making it, with Meghalaya and Mizoram, one of the three Christian-majority states in India and the only state where Christians form 90% of the population.
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