Nagaland: Naga Students' Federation demands rollback of Cabinet's assistant professor regularization decision

The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has strongly criticized the Nagaland Cabinet’s decision, made during its meeting on September 11, 2024, to regularize 151 Assistant Professors currently serving on fixed pay under the Department of Higher Education. Labeling the move as arbitrary and unjust, the NSF has demanded the immediate rollback of the decision.

The student body, which has consistently opposed such non-meritorious appointments, reiterated that it had previously submitted several representations and public statements urging the department to abandon any such proposal. Despite these objections, the Cabinet proceeded with the approval, which the NSF deems a direct violation of principles such as meritocracy, transparency, and fairness in public recruitment.

In a statement, the NSF raised concerns over the moral and administrative integrity of the Department of Higher Education, stating that the decision disregards the interests of thousands of qualified Naga youth who are preparing for competitive recruitment processes. The Federation noted that it had most recently conveyed its opposition on April 8, 2025, in a meeting with the department, but the demands remain unaddressed.

The organization stressed that its stance is not a reactionary one but a longstanding opposition to what it refers to as “backdoor regularization.” Such actions, it argues, demoralize genuine aspirants and undermine public trust in institutional processes.

The Department of Higher Education, NSF asserts, is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the academic and professional future of the state. However, this decision—seen as influenced by vested interests—has eroded the credibility of the department and failed to uphold the values it is meant to represent.

Calling the move grossly unjust and lacking in transparency, the NSF has urged the Government of Nagaland to immediately revoke the Cabinet’s decision and requisition all sanctioned teaching posts to the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) for proper recruitment.

The Federation warned that failure to comply with these demands would compel it to initiate democratic and constitutional measures to protect the rights and aspirations of the student community.