TheKingdom of Sikkim was founded by theNamgyal dynasty in the 17th century. It was ruled byBuddhist priest-kings known as theChogyal. It became aprincely state of theBritish Indian Empire in 1890. Following Indian independence, Sikkim continued itsprotectorate status with theUnion of India after 1947 and the Republic of India after 1950. It enjoyed the highest literacy rate and per capita income amongHimalayan states. In 1973, anti-royalist riots took place in front of the Chogyal's palace. In 1975, after theIndian Army took over the city of Gangtok, areferendum was held that led to the dissolution of the monarchy and Sikkim's joining India as its 22nd state.[12]
The nameSikkim is believed to be a combination of theLimbu wordssu "new" andkhyim "palace" or "house".[16] TheTibetan name for Sikkim isDrenjong (Wylie-transliteration:bras ljongs), which means "valley ofrice",[17] while theBhutias call itBeyul Demazong, which means "the hidden valley of rice".[18] According to folklore, after establishing Rabdentse as his new capital, Bhutia kingTensung Namgyal built a palace and asked his Limbu Queen to name it. TheLepcha people, the original inhabitants of Sikkim, called itNye-mae-el, meaning "paradise".[18] In historicalIndian literature, Sikkim is known asIndrakil, the garden of thewar godIndra.[19]
TheLepchas are considered to be the earliest inhabitants of Sikkim.[20] However theLimbus and theMagars also lived in the inaccessible parts of West and South districts as early as the Lepchas perhaps lived in the East and North districts.[21] The Buddhist saintPadmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, passed through the land in the 8th century.[22][23] The Guru is reported to have blessed the land, introducedBuddhism, and foretold the era of monarchy that would arrive in Sikkim centuries later.[citation needed]
According to legend,Khye Bumsa, a 14th-century prince from theMinyak House inKham in easternTibet, received adivine revelation instructing him to travel south to seek his fortunes. A fifth-generation descendant of Khye Bumsa,Phuntsog Namgyal, became the founder of Sikkim's monarchy in 1642, when he was consecrated as the firstChogyal, or priest-king, of Sikkim by the three veneratedlamas atYuksom.[24]Phuntsog Namgyal was succeeded in 1670 by his son,Tensung Namgyal, who moved the capital from Yuksom toRabdentse (near modernPelling). In 1700, Sikkim was invaded by theBhutanese with the help of the half-sister of the Chogyal, who had been denied the throne. The Bhutanese were driven away by theTibetan people, who restored the throne to theChogyal ten years later. Between 1717 and 1733, the kingdom faced many raids by the Nepalese in the west and Bhutanese in the east, culminating with the destruction of the capitalRabdentse by the Nepalese.[25] In 1791,China sent troops to support Sikkim and defendTibet against theGorkha Kingdom. Following the subsequent defeat of Gorkha, the ChineseQing dynasty established control over Sikkim.[26]
During the British Raj
An 1876 map of Sikkim, depicting Chomto Dong Lake in northern Sikkim.[27] However, the whole of Chumbi and Darjeeling are not depicted as part of Sikkim in the map.
Following the beginning ofBritish rule in neighbouring India, Sikkim allied with Britain against their common adversary,Nepal. The Nepalese attacked Sikkim, overrunning most of the region including theTerai. This prompted theBritish East India Company to attack Nepal, resulting in theGurkha War of 1814.[28] Treaties signed between Sikkim and Nepal resulted in the return of the territory annexed by the Nepalese in 1817. However, ties between Sikkim and the British weakened when the latter began taxation of theMorang region. In 1849, two Britishphysicians, SirJoseph Dalton Hooker andArchibald Campbell, the latter being the superintendent of Darjeeling, ventured into the mountains of Sikkim with the prior permission of King Tsugphu Namgyal.[29][30] The doctors were detained by an influential Dewan,[29] leading to a punitive British expedition against the kingdom, after which theDarjeeling district and Morang were annexed to British India in 1853. The Chogyal of Sikkim became atitular ruler under the directive of the British governor as a result of the invasion.[31]
Sikkim became a Britishprotectorate in the later decades of the 19th century, formalised by aconvention signed with China in 1890.[32][33][34] Sikkim was gradually granted more sovereignty over the next three decades,[35] and became a member of theChamber of Princes, the assembly representing the rulers of the Indianprincely states, in 1922.[34]
Indian protectorate
Prior toIndian independence,Jawaharlal Nehru, as the Vice-President of the Executive Council, pushed through a resolution in theIndian Constituent Assembly to the effect that Sikkim and Bhutan, as Himalayan states, were not 'Indian states' and their future should be negotiated separately.[36] A standstill agreement was signed in February 1948.[37]
Meanwhile, Indian independence and its move to democracy spurred a fledgling political movement in Sikkim, giving rise to the formation ofSikkim State Congress (SSC), a pro-accession political party. The party sent a plate of demands to the palace, including a demand for accession to India. The palace attempted to defuse the movement by appointing three secretaries from the SSC to the government and sponsoring a counter-movement in the name ofSikkim National Party, which opposed accession to India.[38]
The demand for responsible government continued, and the SSC launched a civil disobedience movement. The ChogyalPalden Thondup Namgyal asked India for help in quelling the movement, which was offered in the form of a small military police force and an IndianDewan. In 1950, a treaty was agreed between India and Sikkim which gave Sikkim the status of an Indianprotectorate. Sikkim came under thesuzerainty of India, which controlled its external affairs, defence, diplomacy and communications.[39] In other respects, Sikkim retained administrative autonomy.[citation needed]
A state council was established in 1953 to allow for constitutional government under the Chogyal. ChogyalPalden Thondup Namgyal was able to preserve autonomy and shape a "model Asian state" where theliteracy rate andper capita income were twice as high as neighbouringNepal,Bhutan and India.[40] Meanwhile, theSikkim National Congress demanded fresh elections and greater representation for Nepalis in Sikkim. People marched on the palace against the monarchy.[40] In 1973, anti-royalist agitations took place, which needed to be quelled using Indian security forces.[41]
In1975, the Prime Minister of SikkimKazi Lhendup Dorjee, appealed to the Indian Prime Minister,Indira Gandhi for Sikkim to become a state of India. In April of that year, the Indian Army took over the city ofGangtok and disarmed the Chogyal's palace guards. Thereafter,a referendum was held in which 97.5 per cent of voters supported abolishing the monarchy, effectively approving union with India. India is said to have stationed 20,000–40,000 troops in a country of only 200,000 during the referendum.[42] On 16 May 1975, Sikkim became the 22nd state of the Indian Union, and the monarchy was abolished.[43] To enable the incorporation of the new state, theIndian Parliament amended theIndian Constitution. First, the35th Amendment laid down a set of conditions that made Sikkim an "Associate State", a special designation not used by any other state. A month later, the36th Amendment repealed the 35th Amendment, and made Sikkim a full state, adding its name to theFirst Schedule of theConstitution.[44]
Recent history
In 2000, the seventeenthKarmapa,Urgyen Trinley Dorje, who had been confirmed by theDalai Lama and accepted as atulku by the Chinese government, escaped fromTibet, seeking to return to theRumtek Monastery in Sikkim. Chinese officials were in a dilemma on this issue, for any protests to India would mean an explicit endorsement of India's governance of Sikkim, which China still recognised as an independent state occupied by India. The Chinese government eventually recognised Sikkim as an Indian state in 2003, in return for India declaringTibet as a part of the territory of China;[45][46]New Delhi had accepted Tibet as part of China in 1954, but China appears to have believed that the agreement had lapsed.[47][48] The 2003 agreement led to a thaw inSino-Indian relations.[49] On 6 July 2006, the Sikkimese Himalayan pass ofNathu La was opened to cross-border trade, becoming the first open border between India and China.[50] The pass, which was first opened during the 1904Younghusband Expedition to Tibet,[51] had remained closed since the 1962Sino-Indian War.[50]
On 18 September 2011,a magnitude 6.9Mw earthquake struck Sikkim, killing at least 116 people in the state and inNepal,Bhutan, Bangladesh andTibet.[52] More than 60 people died in Sikkim alone, and the city ofGangtok suffered significant damage.[53]
Situated in theHimalayan mountains, the state of Sikkim is characterised by mountainous terrain. Almost the entire state is hilly, with an elevation ranging from 280 metres (920 ft) in the south at the border with West Bengal to 8,586 metres (28,169 ft) in the northern peaks near Nepal and Tibet. The summit ofKangchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak, is the state's highest point, situated on the border between Sikkim andNepal.[54] For the most part, the land is unfit for agriculture because of the rocky, precipitous slopes. However, some hill slopes have been converted intoterrace farms.[citation needed]
Sikkim is in lower center of image of theTibetan Plateau- (NASA Satellite photo).
Numerous snow-fed streams have carved out river valleys in the west and south of the state. These streams combine into the majorTeesta River and its tributary, theRangeet, which flow through the state from north to south.[55] About a third of the state is heavily forested. The Himalayan mountains surround the northern, eastern and western borders of Sikkim. The Lower Himalayas, lying in the southern reaches of the state, are the most densely populated.[citation needed]
Detailed 1:250k scale, 1955 US Army map of Sikkim showing major river valleys, glaciers, lakes, peaks (height in feet) and Mines. One could see more concentration of glaciers at the north-western part of Sikkim aroundKangchenjunga (28,168 feet (8,586 m)).
Sikkim's hot springs are renowned for theirmedicinal and therapeutic value. Among the state's most notable hot springs are those at Phurchachu,Yumthang, Borang, Ralang, Taram-chu and Yumey Samdong. The springs, which have a highsulphur content, are located near river banks; some are known to emithydrogen.[58] The average temperature of the water in these hot springs is 50 °C (122 °F).[59]
Geology
A waterfall in Sikkim
The hills of Sikkim mainly consist ofgneiss andschist[60] whichweather to produce generally poor and shallow brownclay soils. The soil is coarse, with large concentrations ofiron oxide; it ranges from neutral toacidic and is lacking in organic and mineral nutrients. This type of soil tends to supportevergreen anddeciduous forests.[61]
The rock consists ofphyllites and schists, and is highly susceptible to weathering and erosion. This, combined with the state's heavy rainfall, causes extensive soil erosion and the loss of soil nutrients throughleaching. As a result, landslides are frequent, often isolating rural towns and villages from the major urban centres.[62]
Climate
The state has five seasons: winter, summer, spring, autumn, and monsoon season. Sikkim's climate ranges fromsub-tropical in the south totundra in the north. Most of the inhabited regions of Sikkim experience atemperate climate, with temperatures seldom exceeding 28 °C (82 °F) in summer. The average annual temperature for most of Sikkim is around 18 °C (64 °F).[citation needed]
Sikkim is one of the few states in India to receive regular snowfall. Thesnow line ranges from 6,100 metres (20,000 ft) in the south of the state to 4,900 metres (16,100 ft) in the north.[63] The tundra-type region in the north is snowbound for four months every year, and the temperature drops below 0 °C (32 °F) almost every night.[58] In north-western Sikkim, the peaks are frozen year-round;[64] because of the high altitude, temperatures in the mountains can drop to as low as −40 °C (−40 °F) in winter.
During the monsoon, heavy rains increase the risk oflandslides. The record for the longest period of continuous rain in Sikkim is 11 days.Fog affects many parts of the state during winter and the monsoons, making transportation perilous.[65]
Flora and fauna
Noble orchid (top) is Sikkim's state flower. Rhododendron is its state tree; about 40 species of rhododendron bloom late April – mid May across the state.[66]
Sikkim is situated in anecological hotspot of the lower Himalayas, one of only three among theecoregions of India.[67][68] The forested regions of the state exhibit a diverse range offauna andflora. Owing to its altitudinal gradation, the state has a wide variety of plants, from tropical species to temperate, alpine and tundra ones, and is perhaps one of the few regions to exhibit such a diversity within such a small area. Nearly 81 per cent of the area of Sikkim comes under the administration of its forest department.[69]
Sikkim is home to around 5,000 species of flowering plants, 515 rareorchids, 60primula species, 36rhododendron species, 11oak varieties, 23bamboo varieties, 16conifer species, 362 types offerns and ferns allies, 8tree ferns, and over 900 medicinal plants.[67][10] A relative of thePoinsettia, locally known as "Christmas Flower", can be found in abundance in the mountainous state. TheNoble Dendrobium is the official flower of Sikkim, while therhododendron is thestate tree.[70]
Sikkim also has a rich diversity ofarthropods, many of which remain unstudied.[68] Some of the most understudied species are Sikkimese arthropods, specificallybutterflies. Of the approximately 1,438 butterfly species found in theIndian subcontinent, 695 have been recorded in Sikkim.[74] These include the endangeredKaiser-i-hind, theYellow Gorgon and theBhutan Glory.[75]
National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries
List of National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of Sikkim:[76]
Executive: As with allstates of India, agovernor stands at the head of the executive power of state, just as the president is the head of the executive power in the Union, and is appointed by the President of India. The governor's appointment is largely ceremonial, and his or her main role is to oversee the swearing-in of thechief minister. The chief minister, who holds the real executive powers, is the head of the party or coalition garnering the largest majority in the state elections. The governor also appoints cabinet ministers on the advice of the chief minister.
Legislature: Sikkim has aunicameral legislature, theSikkim Legislative Assembly, like most other Indian states. Its state assembly has 32 seats, including one reserved for theSangha. Sikkim is allocated one seat in each of the two chambers of India's nationalbicameral legislature, theLok Sabha and theRajya Sabha.
Judiciary: Thejudiciary consists of theSikkim High Court and a system of lower courts. The High Court, located at Gangtok, has a Chief Justice along with two permanent justices. The Sikkim High Court is the smallest state high court in the country.[77]
Sikkim has six districts –Gangtok District,Mangan District,Namchi District,Pakyong District,Geyzing District andSoreng District. The district capitals areGangtok,Mangan,Namchi,Pakyong,Gyalshing andSoreng respectively.[85] These six districts are further divided into 16 subdivisions; Pakyong, Rongli, Rangpo and Gangtok are the subdivisions of the Gangtok and Pakyong Districts. Soreng, Yuksom, Gyalshing and Dentam are the subdivisions of the Geyzing and Soreng district. Chungthang, Dzongu, Kabi and Mangan are the subdivisions of the Mangan district. Ravongla, Jorethang, Namchi and Yangyang are the subdivisions of the Namchi district.[86]
Each of Sikkim's districts is overseen by a state government appointee, thedistrict collector, who is in charge of the administration of the civilian areas of the district. The Indian Army has control over a large part of the state, as Sikkim forms part of a sensitive border area withChina. Many areas are restricted to foreigners, andofficial permits are needed to visit them.[87]
Because of its hilly terrain and poor transport infrastructure, Sikkim lacks a large-scale industrial base.Brewing, distilling,tanning andwatchmaking are the main industries and are mainly located in the southern regions of the state, primarily in the towns ofMelli andJorethang. In addition, a small mining industry exists in Sikkim extracting minerals such ascopper,dolomite,talc,graphite,quartzite,coal,zinc, andlead.[95] Despite the state's minimal industrial infrastructure, Sikkim's economy has been among the fastest-growing in India since 2000; the state's GDP expanded by 89.93% in 2010 alone.[96] In 2003, Sikkim decided to fully convert toorganic farming and achieved this goal in 2015 becoming India's first "organic state".[92][93][94][91]
In recent years, the government of Sikkim has extensively promotedtourism. As a result, state revenue has increased 14 times since the mid-1990s.[97] Sikkim has furthermore invested in a fledglinggambling industry promoting bothcasinos andonline gambling. The state's first casino, the Casino Sikkim, opened in March 2009.[98] In the year 2010 the government subsequently issued three gambling licences for casinos and online sports betting in general.[99] The Playwin lottery has been a notable success in the state.[100][101]
The opening of theNathu La pass on 6 July 2006, connectingLhasa,Tibet, to India, was billed as a boon for Sikkim's economy. Trade through the pass remains hampered by Sikkim's limited infrastructure and government restrictions in both India and China, though the volume of traded goods has been steadily increasing.[102][103]
Sikkim did not have any operationalairport for a long time because of its rough terrain. However, in October 2018,Pakyong Airport, the state's first airport, located inPakyong Town at a distance of 30 km (19 mi) from Gangtok, became operational after a four-year delay.[105][106] It has been constructed by theAirports Authority of India on 200 acres of land. At an altitude of 4,700 feet (1,400 m) above sea level, it is one of the five highest airports in India.[107][108] The airport is capable of operatingATR aircraft.[109]
Before October 2018, the closest operational airport to Sikkim wasBagdogra Airport nearSiliguri in northernWest Bengal. The airport is located about 124 km (77 mi) fromGangtok, and frequent buses connect the two.[110] A dailyhelicopter service run by the Sikkim Helicopter Service connects Gangtok to Bagdogra; the flight is thirty minutes long, operates only once a day, and can carry four people.[78] The Gangtokhelipad is the only civilian helipad in the state.
Roads
Gangtok to Siliguri Bus
National Highway 10 (NH 10;formerly NH 31A) linksSiliguri to Gangtok. Sikkim Nationalised Transport runs bus and truck services. Privately run bus, touristtaxi, andjeep services operate throughout Sikkim and also connect it to Siliguri. A branch of the highway fromMelli connects western Sikkim. Towns in eastern, southern and western Sikkim are connected to thehill stations ofKalimpong andDarjeeling in northern West Bengal.[111] The state is furthermore connected toTibet by the mountain pass ofNathu La.
Junction with NH No. 717A at Rhenock – Rongli, Rolep -junction with NH No. 310 near Menla at Serethang
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Rail
Sikkim lacks significant railway infrastructure. The closest major railway stations areSiliguri Junction andNew Jalpaiguri in neighbouring West Bengal.[113] However, the New Sikkim Railway Project has been launched to connect the town ofRangpo in Sikkim withSevoke on the West Bengal border. This line isSevoke-Rangpo Railway Line fromSivok railway station toRangpo railway station.[114] The five-station line is intended to support both economic development and Indian Army operations and was initially planned to be completed by 2015,[115][116] though as of 2023 its construction has met with delays.[117] In 2019, the railway line up to Rangpo was expected to be completed in 2021.[118] In the second phase the line will be extended up toGangtok.[119] In addition, theMinistry of Railways proposed plans in 2010 for railway lines linkingMirik in West Bengal toNamchi,Daramdin,Ranipool, andGangtok.[120]
Infrastructure
Nathu La Pass – Indo-China Border
This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2022)
Sikkim's roads are maintained by theBorder Roads Organisation (BRO), an offshoot of the Indian Army. The roads in southern Sikkim are in relatively good condition, landslides being less frequent in this region. The state government maintains 1,857 kilometres (1,154 mi) of roadways that do not fall under the BRO's jurisdiction.[121]
Sikkim receives most of its electricity from 19hydroelectric power stations.[97] Power is also obtained from theNational Thermal Power Corporation andPower Grid Corporation of India.[122] By 2006, the state had achieved 100 per cent rural electrification.[123] However, the voltage remains unstable and voltage stabilisers are needed. Per capita consumption of electricity in Sikkim was approximately 182 kWh in 2006. The state government has promotedbiogas andsolar power for cooking, but these have received a poor response and are used mostly for lighting purposes.[124] In 2005, 73.2 per cent of Sikkim's households were reported to have access to safe drinking water,[121] and the state's large number of mountain streams assures a sufficient water supply.
On 8 December 2008, it was announced that Sikkim had become the first state in India to achieve 100 per cent sanitation coverage, becoming completely free of public defecation, thus attaining the status of "Nirmal State".[125][126]
Sikkim is India's least populous state, with 610,577 inhabitants according to the2011 census.[3] Sikkim is also one of the least densely populated Indian states, with only 86 persons per square kilometre. However, it has a high population growth rate, averaging 12.36% per cent between 2001 and 2011. Thesex ratio is 889 females per 1,000 males, with a total of 321,661 males and 286,027 females recorded in 2011. With around 98,000 inhabitants as of 2011, the capitalGangtok is the most significant urban area in the mostly rural state; in 2005, the urban population in Sikkim constituted around 11.06 per cent of the total.[121] In 2011, the averageper capita income in Sikkim stood at₹ 81,159 (US$1,305).[128]
Nepali is the lingua franca of Sikkim, while Sikkimese (Bhutia) and Lepcha are spoken in certain areas.[130] English is also spoken and understood in most of Sikkim. Other languages includeDzongkha,Groma,Hindi,Majhi,Majhwar,Thulung,Tibetan, andYakha.[131]
Ethnicity
The majority of Sikkim's residents areNepali Indians.[132] Thenative Sikkimese include theBhutias, who migrated from the Kham district of Tibet in the 14th century, and theLepchas, who are believed to pre-date the Bhutias and are the oldest known inhabitants.Tibetans reside mostly in the northern and eastern reaches of the state. Migrant resident communities known asPlainsmen Sikkimese includeBengalis,Biharis andMarwaris, who are prominent in commerce inSouth Sikkim andGangtok, only those who are the native residents since 1946.[133]
According to the 2011 census, 57.8% followHinduism, making it the state's majority religion.Buddhism is followed by 27.4% of the population, whileChristianity is followed by 9.9%.[137] Between 2001 and 2011, Christianity was the fastest growing religion in the state, going from 6.67% to 9.91% of the population.[137] It was thus the fourth state with the highest Christian growth in the period, behind onlyArunachal Pradesh,Manipur andMeghalaya.[136][138] As of 2014, theEvangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim is the largest Christian denomination in Sikkim.[139] Hinduism, on the other hand, declined from 60.93% to 57.76% of the population in the same period.[136][137] Sikkim was the fourth state with the biggest decline in the percentage of Hindus, behind onlyArunachal Pradesh,Manipur andAssam.[138]Vajrayana Buddhism, which accounts for 27.3% of the population, is Sikkim's second-largest, yet most prominent religion. Prior to Sikkim's becoming a part of the Indian Union, Vajrayana Buddhism was the state religion under the Chogyal. Sikkim has 75Buddhist monasteries, the oldest dating back to the 1700s.[140] The public and visual aesthetics of Sikkim are executed in shades of Vajrayana Buddhism and Buddhism plays a significant role in public life, even among Sikkim's majority Nepali Hindu population. Other religious minorities includeMuslims of Tibet,[141][142] Bihari ethnicity andJains, who each account for roughly 1% of the population.[143] The traditional religions of thenative Sikkimese account for much of the remainder of the population.
Although tensions between the Lepchas and the Nepalese escalated during the merger of Sikkim with India in the 1970s, there has never been any major degree of communal religious violence, unlike in other Indian states.[144][145] The traditional religion of the Lepcha people isMun, an animist practice which coexists with Buddhism and Christianity.[146]
There are 6 districts in Sikkim, each overseen by a Central Government appointee, thedistrict collector, who is in charge of the administration of the civilian areas of the districts. The Indian Army has control of a large territory, as the state is a sensitive border area. Many areas are restricted andpermits are needed to visit them. The six districts are:
Traditional cuisines of theLepcha,Limbu,Magar, andBhutia peoples incorporate the rich biodiversity of the place. The Buddhist saintPadmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, who passed through ancient Sikkim in the eighth century noted the rich produce of the place in his writings,
There are about 155 varieties of fruits with different tastes and nutritional values. [These include] a walnut that tastes like butter; a fruit known as wallay… and a grape with the taste of wine. There are fruits called tingding with the taste of meat, and sedey, which can be eaten as the equivalent of an entire meal; turnips, and thirty-seven other types of root vegetables are available. There are twenty different varieties of garlic. Altogether, among the edible plants, there are 360 varieties available. There are wild radishes, along with tsolay, nyolay, and grapes in the valley. In the trees, among the rocks and hanging from the cliffs there are beehives.[154]
Noodle-based dishes such asthukpa,chow mein,thenthuk, fakthu, gyathuk andwonton are common in Sikkim.Momos – steameddumplings filled with vegetables, chicken, mutton, beef or pork and served with soup – are a popular snack.[155]
In 1957, a Nepali monthly magazineKanchenjunga became the first news outlet for the masses in Sikkim.[158]
The southern urban areas of Sikkim have English, Nepali and Hindi daily newspapers. Nepali-language newspapers, as well as some English newspapers, are locally printed, whereas Hindi and English newspapers are printed inSiliguri. Important local dailies and weeklies includeHamro Prajashakti (Nepali daily),Himalayan Mirror (English daily), theSamay Dainik,Sikkim Express (English),Kanchanjunga Times (Nepali weekly),Pragya Khabar (Nepali weekly) andHimali Bela.[159] Furthermore, the state receives regional editions of national English newspapers such asThe Statesman,The Telegraph,The Hindu andThe Times of India.Himalaya Darpan, a Nepali daily published in Siliguri, is one of the leading Nepali daily newspapers in the region. TheSikkim Herald is an official weekly publication of the government. Online media covering Sikkim include the Nepali newspaperHimgiri, the English news portalHaalkhabar and the literary magazineTistarangit.Avyakta,Bilokan, theJournal of Hill Research,Khaber Khagaj,Panda, and theSikkim Science Society Newsletter are among other registered publications.[160]
Internet cafés are well established in the district capitals, butbroadband connectivity is not widely available.Satellite television channels through dish antennae are available in most homes in the state. Channels served are largely the same as those available in the rest of India, although Nepali-language channels are also available. The main service providers includeAirtel digital TV,Tata Sky,Dish TV,DD Free Dish and Nayuma.
In 2011, Sikkim's adultliteracy rate was 82.2 per cent: 87.29 per cent for males and 76.43 per cent for females.[161] There are a total of 1,157 schools in the state, including 765 schools run by the state government, seven central government schools and 385 private schools.[162] There is one Institute of National Importance,[163] onecentral university[164] and four private universities[165] in Sikkim offering higher education.
Recently, Government of Sikkim has approved the open school board named Board of Open Schooling and Skill Education,[166]BOSSE to provideSecondary Education, Senior Secondary as well as Skill & Vocational Education up to pre-degree level and to provide opportunity to continue education to such students who have missed the opportunity of school education. Sikkim has aNational Institute of Technology, currently operating from a temporary campus inRavangla, South Sikkim,[167] which is one among the ten newly sanctionedNITs by theGovernment of India under the 11th Five year Plan, 2009.[168] TheNIT Sikkim also has state of art super computing facility namedPARAM Kanchenjunga which is said to be fastest among all 31NITs.[169]Sikkim University is the only central university in Sikkim. The public-private funded institution is theSikkim Manipal University of Technological Sciences, which offers higher education inengineering,medicine andmanagement. It also runs a host ofdistance education programs in diverse fields.[170][171]
Medhavi Skills University is aprivate university located in the state of Sikkim, India. It was established in 2021 under the Sikkim Private Universities, (Amendment) Act, 2021. The university aims to provide skill-based education to students and bridge the gap between academia and industry.[172][171]
There are two state-run polytechnic schools – the Advanced Technical Training Centre (ATTC) and the Centre for Computers and Communication Technology (CCCT) – which offerdiploma courses in various branches of engineering. ATTC is situated at Bardang,Singtam, and CCCT at Chisopani, Namchi.
Sikkim University began operating in 2008 atYangang, which is situated about 28 kilometres (17 mi) from Singtam.[173] Many students, however, migrate toSiliguri,Kolkata,Bangalore and other Indian cities for their higher education.
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