More organizations have come out to strongly voice against state government’s move to regularise contractual assistant professors and librarians.
ACAUT: Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland has strongly opposed the state government’s move to regularise 147 contractual assistant professors and librarians on December 17, 2024.
In a statement, the watchdog pointed out that being an instrumental department for shaping and developing the society for generations by way of filtering more qualified faculties to produce vibrant and brilliant students, it was is imperative for the Higher Education Department to ensure fair and just judgement at all times.
ACAUT described the cabinet decision of September 11, 2024 approving the absorption of 151 assistant professors serving on fixed pay as one-time dispensation as totally unethical where the credibility of the state government was much questionable, and it was detrimental towards the wishes of entire qualified aspirants who were vying through legitimate and competitive means.
The watchdog demanded removal of the “inefficient” incumbent minister and replace him with more sensible and qualified person to take care of the department.
It also demanded immediate revocation of the regularisation order and requisitioning all the sanctioned posts requisition to the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) and Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB), cautioning that it could be compelled to seek legal recourse.
ACAUT recalled that along with the Public Service Aspirants of Nagaland (PSAN) it had filed a writ petition in the high court in 2016 against various illegal/backdoor appointments that had affected many cases of service regularisation, in which 607 Class I and II NPSC posts in 32 departments were challenged.
LSU: Lotha Students’ Union (LSU) has expressed strong outrage over the “arbitrary and unjust” absorption of assistant professors and librarians into the higher education department without any public advertisement, competitive recruitment, or adherence to constitutional norms.
LSU through its president Lirhonthung E. Kithan and education & stat. secretary Nyanthung M. Khuvung said the move was “not merely an administrative oversight”, but “deliberate assault” on justice, meritocracy, and the aspirations of an entire generation of educated Nagas. The union said that contractual appointments were inherently temporary and should not be used as a covert means to secure permanent positions.
LSU said that the quiet, concealed regularisation of those posts without scrutiny. without fairness, without public notice was a gross abuse of power, and a betrayal of every hardworking and qualified youth in Nagaland.
Further, the union stated that when prestigious posts like assistant professors were handed out behind closed doors, it did not just erode public faith in the system but sent a chilling message that in today’s Nagaland merit was negotiable and privilege ruled.
LSU has, therefore, demanded the immediate revocation of the “illegal absorption”. It also called upon the authorities to advertise the vacancies afresh and conduct recruitment through a fair, transparent, and open selection process.
LSU affirmed solidarity with Naga Students Federation (NSF), Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU), Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN), the Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) and with every student body, civil society organization, and conscientious citizen that have “spoken out against this betrayal.”
LMRSU: Lotha Middle Range Students’ Union (LMRSU) has strongly condemned the absorption/regularisation of contractual assistant professors and librarians in the Higher Education Department, and called for revocation of the December 17, 2024 order and the December 18, 2024 notification issued in this regard.
LMRSU president Rhonbemo Murry, general secretary Lichon Kithan, and education and statistics secretary Lijanbeni M Ngullie in a press release pointed out that these appointments were made without following the established procedures mandated by the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC).
They said they opposed these arbitrary appointments as it represented a significant injustice to qualified candidates who were diligently striving for academic excellence, pointing out that these individuals had committed themselves to preparing for recruitment through fair and competitive means.
They said the current situation demonstrated a clear disregard for the hard work and dedication of aspirants who had invested years in achieving their qualifications.
Stressing that the academic community deserved a recruitment system that recognised qualifications and maintained fairness through a merit-based selection process, free from backdoor entries, favouritism, and political interference, the trio said it was disheartening to witness such irregularities in the education sector.
According to the LMRSU leaders, nepotism, favouritism, and backdoor entries not only violated the principles of justice but also undermined the futures of aspirants who worked tirelessly to meet academic and professional standards.
Strongly condemning the allegedly biased recruitment and regularisation of assistant professors and librarians, they stated that they stood united with all student organisations committed to upholding justice, ensuring merit, and promoting transparency in the recruitment of educators.
Furthermore, they demanded that the state government cancel these regularisations and ensure that future recruitments were conducted through legitimate and competitive means, such as those established by the NPSC.
In the interest of justice, they sought immediate action to rectify these issues without delay, declaring that they were resolutely against any form of systemic injustice.
As an academic union, they said the LMRSU remained committed to advocating a fair, transparent, and inclusive education system that served the best interests of students and the community while supporting those who courageously spoke out against injustice.