Dr Deben Sharma is currently working as Assistant Professor at North East Institute of Social Sciences and Research, Dimapur teaching peace and conflict transformation studies as a specialization paper integrated into the MSW Program. He has several years of experience working as a Senior Research Fellow, as a Regional Facilitator Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution programs, and as Program Coordinator for state-level relief and rehabilitation programs. Having worked as Research Scholars among an indigenous community in Bhutan as well, he is an occasional writer writing for local Newspaper and Journals. 

North East Institute of Social Sciences and Research

What can an inbound student gain from studying here in NEISSR?

”Best practices and comprehensive curriculum that is focused on issues of North-eastern region of India without missing the national and international processes” 

Knowing the indigenous intricacies and customs is too important here. The institute provides an opportunity to understand the local perspectives; problems and prospects through extensive social action research and insights as against the globalizing trends and processes to discover sustainable development and peace processes. The curriculum also reflects the diverse needs and their delivery for the youth generation. The Institute strives to prepare generations of young innovative professional problem-solvers through action research-based knowledge building and competencies. 

What according to you are the unique strengths of your Institute?

”Advanced courses and a good academic team”

Many customized and ultra-specialized courses provided by NEISSR make it unique. All of these are multi-disciplinary papers with a devoted qualified faculty team and are looking into improvising ourselves into our best versions. Even with a hectic schedule; the management and academicians find time for integration and take measures to achieve the milestones.

How are the different methodologies integrated into the syllabus?

”Re-defining conventional methods and techniques”

The paper as social work addresses issues on urbanization, re-location, conflicts and others. Integrating youth development, peace and conflict studies in the traditional Social Work curriculum based on the regional and local specific educational needs have been continuous efforts. Training the students in qualitative research methodologies and action research rather than limiting them to the quantitative research methodologies to be able to understand particularities of diverse human problems are defining characteristics of the Institute. The post-Covid situation confronted with extraordinary circumstances requires a multidisciplinary approach to study rather than getting compartmentalized in specialized fields of academic disciplines in natural, social sciences, arts and humanities studies, separately. This new situation is well captured in the forward-looking national education policy 2020.

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What are the institute plans for the next 10 years?

”Incorporating best educational practices and skill growth among the students to face life and career options in post-Covid scenario” 

We definitely need to put problem-solving studies at the topmost skills to be nurtured within the graduate and higher education levels. Also, with free availability of and accessibility to technology, social media and other advancements we focus on a holistic approach towards student development. We are also building frameworks that uphold the cultural and national values in line with the 2020 New Education policy implementation without compromising local specific educational needs and problem-solving components.

Could you tell us about how the institute is operating during the pandemic?

”Utilizing and synchronizing with Digital platforms” 

We have been pushed back out of our comfort zones in town and cities and digital technology has come in as the only medium to carry out all kinds of jobs. The issue cropping up in this scenario are the digital infrastructure and the skill gaps. Technology has not penetrated to the most remote regions and to the poor strata of the population. The academic community is not equally proficient in teaching through digital media. Almost all the teachers had to work extra time to upskill in different digital teaching-learning platforms, reshaping the syllabus to suit the extraordinary situations of online teaching-learning at homes without compromising the basic foundations and shaping the students’ careers in the post-Covid scenario within the contracted academic calendar.

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What are your suggestions for the students?

”Be more practical, creative and innovative” 

The advice to the students is to embrace the new reality and to put your mind towards to new realities, adapting to an extraordinary situation from practical lived experiences of life rather than from the memories of the recent past by going out for textbooks. Creativity and innovation are the vital tools for problem-solving of the post-Covid situation that would help better adapt to the new situation for a sustainable way of life rather than waiting for the situation to get normal.