Naga People’s Front (NPF) has lauded the state government’s decision to place in abeyance the absorption of 147 contractual assistant professors.
NPF through its press bureau said the government’s decision reflected attentiveness to the genuine concerns expressed by student bodies, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders regarding the need for adherence to fair and established recruitment norms.
NPF said it “firmly upholds” the principles of transparency, fairness, and meritocracy in public appointments.
In this regard, NPF urged the government to initiate inclusive and thorough consultations with all relevant parties to ensure that the final outcome protected the integrity of the recruitment process while safeguarding the rights of deserving candidates.
Acknowledging the dedicated contributions made by contractual faculty members across Nagaland’s higher education institutions, NPF said their commitment and service have played a vital role in sustaining academic excellence.
“As such, we believe that any future course of action must account for their contributions and consider the wider impact on the academic ecosystem,” NPF said.
Meanwhile, the party reaffirmed its commitment to supporting policies and initiatives that strengthened Nagaland’s educational system and uphold the values of justice, equity, and inclusive progress.
KSU slams Imna Along’s remark
The Konyak Students’ Union (KSU) has clarified that it consistently championed the cause of appointing adequate teaching staff, and never advocated contractual or temporary appointments.
Instead, the union in a statement claimed that it firmly believed in the importance of a fair and competitive selection process, as mandated by established institutional framework, to recruit the most qualified candidates.
Expressing deep disappointment and disillusionment with Higher Education minister Temjen Imna Along for blatant exploitation of Wangkhao Government College (WGC), Mon district’s lone college, as a pretext for justifying recent decisions, KSU pointed out that the institution, which was one of the oldest in the state, had long suffered from a crippling shortage of professors, exacerbated by the persistent deployment of faculty members elsewhere, despite their continued receipt of salaries from the government college.
Stating that it found it utterly disheartening that the college was being cited as a justification for the regularisation of 147 contractual assistant professors and a librarian, the union asked the state government whether its decision to regularise these appointments was solely motivated by the circumstances prevailing at the Wangkhao Government College. The union declared that it stood in solidarity with the aspirants and students in demanding a complete rollback of the regularisation order.