MBoSE debunks fake SSLC result notification
SHILLONG, March 23: The Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE) on Monday clarified that a notification circulating on social media claiming the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) Examination 2026 results will be declared on April 6 is fake. The forged notice, which bore the signature of the Controller of Examinations, TR Laloo, has been widely shared, causing confusion among students and parents. MBoSE Director Macdonald Marbaniang confirmed that the document is fraudulent. The Board noted that similar misinformation was circulated last year and advised the public to rely only on official communication channels for updates regarding examination results and other announcements.
IIPH Shillong faculty wins national award for cancer prevention study
SHILLONG, March 23: Dr Worthing Yanglem from the Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH), Shillong, was awarded the Best Paper (Poster) Award in the Faculty Group at the 70th Annual National Conference of the Indian Public Health Association (IPHACON 2026). The conference was held from March 13-15 at Katuri Medical College and Hospital, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. The award-winning study, titled “Self-Help Groups as Platforms for Cancer Prevention: Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Study in Rural Meghalaya, India,” was co-authored by Dr Melari Shisha Nongrum and Dr Eliza Dutta of IIPH Shillong. The research evaluated Self-Help Group (SHG)-led interventions in 10 villages across the Ri-Bhoi district, involving 634 participants. The study demonstrated that community-driven events effectively increased cancer awareness, reduced stigma, and promoted health practices such as breast self-examinations and tobacco cessation. The findings highlight the potential of SHGs as a scalable model for delivering health interventions in rural communities across Northeast India.
NEIGRIHMS hosts emergency life support training for paramedics
SHILLONG, March 23: The North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Shillong, held a three-day National Emergency Life Support (NELS) Training of Trainers workshop from March 18–20. Conducted in collaboration with the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre (JPNATC), AIIMS, New Delhi, the programme was held under the patronage of Director Prof Nalin Mehta. The workshop aimed to standardise emergency care through simulation-based training. A total of 27 participants attended, including doctors and paramedics from NEIGRIHMS, Shillong Medical College, and Civil Hospitals in Shillong, Jowai, Nongpoh, and Nongstoin. The training focused on managing trauma, cardiac, respiratory, and other medical emergencies to improve response times and care quality in critical situations. By preparing participants to serve as trainers, the initiative ensures that emergency life support skills can be further disseminated across their respective institutions, strengthening healthcare preparedness in Meghalaya and the wider Northeast.
PHE honours natl awardees on World Water Day in SWKH
MAWKYRWAT, March 23: Three individuals from South West Khasi Hills were honoured for their national recognition at the recently held Jal Mahotsav 2026 in New Delhi. The felicitation ceremony, organised by the Office of the Executive Engineer (EE), PHE Mawkyrwat Division, at the EE PHE office, concluded a two-week observation of Jal Mahotsav and coincided with World Water Day celebrations. The event was attended by Village Water Sanitation Committee (VWSC) members from the Mawkyrwat and Ranikor Blocks. Among those felicitated was Elitamarry Lyngdoh of Jashiar village, who secured first position for excellence in water quality monitoring and surveillance. Spiland Jyrwa, the Myntri of Pyndendiwah, earned first place for his leadership in strengthening the rural piped water supply system, while Archemedes Nongrem of Nongdewsaw village was awarded second position for achieving 24×7 rural water supply excellence. During the programme, the department also recognised seven villages as ‘Har Ghar Jal Villages’ and officially handed over the management of local Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) schemes to them.
ICAR Umiam marks International Forest Day and World Water Day
SHILLONG, March 23: The ICAR Research Complex for the North Eastern Hill (NEH) Region, Umiam, organised a workshop and plantation drive on March 21 to observe International Day of Forests and World Water Day. Held under the NICRA project, the event focused on the themes “Forests and Economy” and the “Relationship between Water and Gender,” highlighting the sustainable management of natural resources in fragile mountain ecosystems. DFO, East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi Division, Ganeshan, who was the chief guest, addressed the urgent environmental challenges facing mountain regions. Guest of honour Vennam Anusha, Assistant Conservator of Forest (Nongpoh Range), highlighted the vital role of grassroots field staff in forest management and conservation. The programme brought together over 170 participants, including tribal farmers from the Ri-Bhoi district, students from the ICAR-IARI Umiam Hub, and staff from CPGSAS, ICAR-ATARI, and the NBPGR Regional Station. To support climate-resilient agriculture, officials distributed seeds for stress-tolerant rice varieties (Megha SA-1, Bhalum-5), finger millet, maize, and buckwheat to local farmers to improve productivity under changing climatic conditions.
