Aizawl, Aug. 27 :    Aizawl, Aug. 27:  Despite being plagued by insurgency, Mizoram has not only earned the distinction of being the state with the highest literacy rate in the country but also produced the highest number of central service officials among the seven northeastern states. Official sources in the state secretariat in Aizawl said nearly 200 Mizo officers are now holding prominent posts in 19 services including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS). ?It is a matter of great pride for us that a tiny state like Mizoram could produce so many officers in the central services,? state chief secretary H.V. Lalringa said. ?The Mizo youth could do it only because of their willpower and desire to achieve their goals,? he said. There are 39 IAS, 29 IPS and 10 IFS officers from Mizoram, who are posted in the country and abroad, sources added. The sources said in addition to the IAS, IPS and IFS officers, there are 24 Indian Revenue Service (IRS), 20 Indian Forest Service (IFS) and 22 Indian Postal Service (IPS) officials from Mizoram. Moreover, there are many Mizo officers in the Indian Telecom Service and the Indian Customs and Central Excise Service, they said. Lalringa said the Mizo youth could fare well in the national-level competitive examinations as they had the sense of right and wrong. ?They have also developed their intelligence quotient over the years under the guidance of Christian missionaries,? he said. ?Besides, our youth have no alternative to government services as industrialisation is yet to set in,? the chief secretary said, adding that Mizo youth have also joined the Army. Young Mizo Association (YMA) president T. Sangkunga echoed Lalringa?s opinions. Lauding the services of the missionaries, he said, ?They opened schools in the far-flung areas of the state and have played an important role in educating the tribals.? ?The highest literacy rate is an award for the discipline and hard work of the Mizos,? Sangkunga claimed. The YMA, which is the largest non-governmental organisation of the region, has been playing an important role for the overall development of the Mizo youth. However, state education secretary Lalhita Sailo feels more Mizo youth should have qualified for the central services. ?These days, we have seen the best students go for medical, engineering and management courses,? he said. Sailo said the students feel ?secure? once they get admitted to some kind of technical course.