Advisor Dr Kekhrielhoulie Yhome addressing the press conference held in Kohima on November 5.
Kohima, November 5 (MExN): The Department of School Education, Nagaland, has joined the ‘1 Million Voices on Future Readiness’ campaign, inviting young people and communities to share whether education is preparing them for life beyond the classroom.
Advisor Dr Kekhrielhoulie Yhome announced the campaign at a press conference on November 5. The national campaign aims to gather 10 lakh (1 million) voices across India by December 31, 2026, each in the person’s preferred language.
“We have spent years measuring whether children can pass exams. Today we are asking a different question: are they ready for life?” Dr Yhome said.
The campaign gathers views of young people aged 12 to 25, along with parents, teachers, employers, government representatives and community members, before frameworks or assessment tools are designed. Conversations are built around four questions: What future do you want? Do you get to choose it? What do you need to get there? Who or what helps or blocks you?
Responses shed light on five dimensions of readiness, Agency, Awareness, Connectedness, Wellbeing and Mastery, capturing both the capabilities young people build and the support around them.
The campaign gives Nagaland a chance to bring the realities of its students, particularly those in remote and rural communities, into a national conversation on education.
“Our education system must respond to the diverse realities of our students, including differences in geography, language, access to resources and learning opportunities,” Dr Yhome said, adding that teachers, parents, community leaders and institutions share the responsibility of creating environments where children feel supported, confident and prepared for life.
The initiative aligns with the National Education Policy 2020 and its focus on holistic development, competency-based learning and life skills. Its findings may contribute to tools such as the Holistic Progress Card and a proposed national Future Readiness Index. Early findings will be shared with educators and policymakers at InvokED 6.0 in Bengaluru on February 26 and 27, 2027.
Voices can be shared in one’s preferred language through MItra, an AI companion, for an online conversation, or via a Google Form. Young people, parents, teachers and members of the public can begin at tumbolo.shikshagraha.org.
The Department called on schools, colleges, communities and partner organisations to help the campaign reach every district and community. “Every voice matters. Your voice will help shape what our schools prepare children for,” Dr Yhome said.
‘1 Million Voices on Future Readiness’ is a national listening campaign under Shikshagraha, a people-powered movement for education equity, catalysed by Shiksha Lokam and Mantra4Change together with government, civil society and community partners across India. Elevate Foundation, Shikshagraha’s Momentum Partner in Nagaland, is bringing the campaign to the state along with the Department of School Education.
