Pritpal Kaur IPS is the Superintendent of Police of newly created remote district Noklak in Nagaland. She has gone beyond her call of duty and taken it upon her shoulders to work for the welfare of locals.
She helps students prepare for the civil services exams, counsels drug addicts and their families on a regular basis. Being a dentist she also helps those suffering from dental diseases.
Nagas Connect catches up with the young IPS officer.
1. You have been sparing your time for grooming Naga youth to appear for competitive exams. As you know, not all can crack the exams. What alternatives do you feel are there for educated youth in remote districts?
We are not only preparing youth for competitive exams but also for other alternatives like career in sports, singing, painting and farming like food processing..for example 2 farmers from almost every village (total 21) were sent to Dimapur for 45 days training at Central Institute of Horticulture (CIH) Medziphema for learning food processing and value addition, moreover CIH team came at Noklak also once on 21st Oct 2020 to give 2 days training to 54 SHGs. Recently Noklak honey and Noklak ginger candy has been launched.
It’s just that youth are motivated to choose their career as per their passions and interest and hence supported to make them self dependent.
2. Nagaland takes pride in our high literacy rate. But has this become a liability as most are unskilled and unemployable?
Yes Nagaland takes pride in high literacy but because of lack of quality education and infrastructure it has become a problem but I am sure steps towards improvement are going on.
3. What prevents civil service officers from doing that extra bit like you are doing in reaching out to the less privileged?
Other civil servants are also doing their jobs beautifully hence Nagaland is seeing the development on fast pace as compared to earlier times. Everyone is doing their bit I feel.
4. Should IPS officers be also allowed to take up some administrative positions? Why so?
Core competencies of IPS officers of police is security and maintaining law and order. Other works may be accompanied but core competencies should be prioritized always.
5. One person you admire the most and why?
My mother (Late Kartar Kaur) who has always taught me that hard work always pays so nothing is impossible and service towards humanity and society is the only purpose of our life.