Kohima: It is safe to say that science and maths are not the favorite subjects of students in Nagaland. This is also evident from the most recent Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate (HSSLC) examination where 1,157 students from Commerce stream, 2,152 students from science stream appeared in the exam against a staggering 13,812 students in the arts stream.
It is no secret that the vast population among the student community, right from primary schooling, dread science and maths, which is one of the many reasons for students losing interest in the two subjects later.
Taking note of this situation and to instill in young minds the need to take interest in these subjects, Kevin Khezhie (35) from Kohima village started NagaBots, a Nagaland-based robotics training and research company.
Speaking to EastMojo, Khezhie shared how the idea of NagaBots, a first of its kind in Nagaland and likely one of the first organized trainers in robotics in Northeast India, began and how it is gradually building a robotics culture in Nagaland.
“I have been associated with the student body for over a decade. During this period, I observed that students were afraid of two subjects – math and science. At school, they feared these subjects and projected them as the most difficult subjects and even before the textbooks were opened, there was a fear of these subjects,” he said.
Khezhie observed that such an unhealthy approach to these subjects needed to be deconstructed and this was when the idea of NagaBots was conceived. He pointed out that robotics and coding were fun and simple way to understand math and science.
“We have a stereotypical belief that only smart and brilliant students pursue science stream, which actually is not true. When learning is based on activity, students find it easier to learn and they are able to retain whatever they learn,” the entrepreneur said.
He underscored that the knowledge of math and science up till class-X was essential, however, many try to skip the essential knowledge that is shared during these formative years.
Khezhie said robotics and coding were two solutions that could help students learn and develop a liking for the two dreaded subjects during the formative years.
Having started NagaBots in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Khezhie said that being a first mover was a big challenge. “We thought that being a first mover would be a big advantage, but we had to create our own ecosystem, market and demand,” Khezie added.
At present, NagaBots has a team of 6 people including Khezhie, providing in-house training at its headquarters in Kohima and school trainings across parts of Nagaland.
The courses, he explained, are classified into three parts: mechanical, electronic and programming, which are then arranged into different levels.
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“We have reached a certain point where we are not facing as much hardships as we did initially, but we still have a long way to go. We want to put Nagaland on the world map,” he shared.
NagaBots is currently working to begin an incubation centre under the Nagaland startup policy in collaboration with the department of industries and commerce.
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