Nagaland govt’s faculty regularisation sparks outcry, order withdrawn

Kohima, April 11: A controversial move by the Nagaland government to regularise 147 contractual assistant professors and librarians has triggered widespread debate and backlash across the state, raising concerns over recruitment transparency, institutional integrity, and fairness in the higher education system.

The order, issued on April 8, 2025, by the chief secretary of Nagaland, had approved the absorption of these faculty members into regular posts in various government colleges. Endorsed by the Minister of Higher Education and Tourism, the directive stated that the decision was made “in the interest of public service.”

However, amid growing criticism and public pressure, the state government rolled back the decision just two days later.

In a fresh circular dated April 10, the government declared the earlier notification “null and void until further notice,” stating that the order had not been “officially issued.” It further instructed all college principals to halt any administrative changes pertaining to the regularisation.

The move comes at a time when several writ petitions are still pending in court since 2022, challenging alleged “backdoor appointments” in government colleges. The fresh attempt at regularisation has reignited the debate, eliciting both support and condemnation from different quarters.

On one side, multiple undergraduate student unions expressed support for the decision. The Dimapur Government College Students’ Council, in a letter to the Department of Higher Education, praised the absorbed faculty for their unwavering dedication, particularly as the college prepares to implement the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUGP). The council noted that the faculty had served “with utmost sincerity” under contractual arrangements.

Similar sentiments were echoed by the Sao Chang College Students’ Union, which acknowledged the acute faculty shortages faced by the institution for over a decade.

The union highlighted the instrumental role played by contractual teachers during the college’s NAAC accreditation process, adding that they had often taken on responsibilities beyond their roles.

Support also poured in from the Zunheboto Government College Students’ Union, which emphasised that many of the now-regularised faculty members had served under challenging conditions for six to twelve years. The union credited them with keeping entire departments functional, often as the sole educators.

The Kohima Science College Students’ Union, Jotsoma, initially extended support, recognising the contribution of the contractual staff during times of acute shortage under the semester system. However, the union later withdrew its support, stating it had decided “not to take sides” after further deliberation.

On the other hand, sharp criticism came from academic forums and aspirant groups who viewed the regularisation as a bypassing of fair recruitment procedures.

The Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) condemned the appointments as a direct violation of the rights of qualified Naga youths, many of whom have been preparing for recruitment through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC). The DNSU stated that such actions erode the integrity of public recruitment institutions.

The Naga Research Scholars’ Forum Shillong (NRSFS) also voiced concern, asserting that the move was a “harsh blow” to deserving candidates, including NET and PhD holders, preparing for the Common Educational Services Examination (CESE). The forum warned that bypassing the standard recruitment process set a dangerous precedent.

In the wake of the rollback, the Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) launched a poster campaign on social media, calling attention to what it described as a gross violation of recruitment ethics. The campaign urged the public to stand for merit-based appointments and protect the aspirations of the state’s academically qualified youth.