Correspondent
KOHIMA, OCT 3 (NPN): Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) and Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN) have called for transparent recruitment and fair competition in government appointments, raising concerns over prolonged contractual appointments, recruitment procedures and restrictions they said were affecting the functioning of the state’s recruiting agencies.
The organisations made the demands at a public discussion on “Fair Recruitment, Transparency and Merit” organised by CTAN in collaboration with NNQF at Old NST here on Saturday.
NNQF representative Vide highlighted the forum’s legal battle against alleged backdoor and contractual appointments in the higher education department. She said NNQF had filed a case in 2019 challenging appointments allegedly made without proper advertisement and in violation of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution.
She said some appointments were allegedly made without the prescribed qualifications, noting that UGC norms and state service rules required candidates for assistant professor posts to meet specified eligibility criteria, including NET qualification and, where applicable, a PhD.
Vide said some contractual appointments had continued for more than a decade. She said the case was dismissed during hearings in 2023 and 2025 on technical grounds, following which NNQF appealed before a division bench seeking review of the judgment.
Referring to the September 23, 2026 hearing, she said the court had ruled in favour of NNQF on key issues, claiming it observed that contractual appointments could be made only when absolutely necessary and that eligible candidates should be appointed through properly advertised posts.
She further claimed that the court held that continuing such appointments without following the prescribed process violated Articles 14 and 16 and directed that there would be no further extensions of the contractual appointments beyond July 2027.
According to NNQF, the court also directed the government to create the required posts and forward them to the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) and other appropriate recruiting agencies for fair competition and advertisement.
Vide also raised concerns over unemployment and candidates losing opportunities after crossing the age limit while waiting for recruitment. She urged the government to create and advertise the required posts to enable eligible candidates to compete through a transparent recruitment process.
CTAN convenor Er. Meshenlo Kath, meanwhile, raised concerns over a September 15 government order which he said had restricted the powers of the NPSC and Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB).
Kath said that even where vacancies existed, departments could not directly forward posts to the NPSC for recruitment unless they first underwent the prescribed process, including approval from the Cabinet.
He demanded that all eligible posts in Nagaland be brought under the purview of the NSSB, pointing out that several posts under district administration continued to remain exempted.
Kath said the earlier system allowed departments to forward vacancies directly to the NPSC or NSSB for recruitment and examination. Under the new arrangement, he said vacancies had to undergo the manpower rationalisation committee process and obtain the required approvals, including Cabinet clearance, before they could be advertised.
He alleged that the new arrangement had restricted the functioning of both recruiting bodies and warned that CTAN would be compelled to launch democratic agitation and “hit the streets” if its concerns were not addressed.
Representatives of the NEHU Research Scholars’ Forum, CTAN, All Nagaland Pre-Service Teachers Association and members of the public also spoke at the programme.