Seven students of the first batch-- Masters of Social Work (MSW) brought laurels to Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Social Work under Nagaland Gandhi Ashram at Chuchuyimlang in Mokokchung district after successfully coming out with flying colours in the National Eligibility Test (NET) for lecturers.

Talking to Nagaland Post, Dr. Aotoshi, managing director, Windows Media and son of noted Gandhian social worker Padmashree Natwar Thakkar who set up the Gandhi Ashram, altogether 16 students (10 boys and 6 girls) from Assam, Nagaland and Meghalaya got admission into the two-year MSW course as the first batch in 2010 in the institute.

Twelve students appeared for the NET examination and seven of them cleared the tough test. Six received Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) while one was qualified for lecturership.

The students who qualified for NET plus JRF were Shihani Tsuibu, Akumnaro, Tarepnokcha, Moatemsu, W. Kharbuli  and Temjenungsang. Benjongtoba qualified for the lectureship category.

A joint venture of Gandhi Ashram and IGNOU, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Social Work was established as a tri-partite agreement between Chuchuyimlang village council, Gandhi Ashram and IGNOU. It was set up in Natwar Thakkar in 1955 at Chuchuyimlang village.