The Department of School Education (DoSE) has issued a fresh notification on August 22, 2025, promising to review and reset what can be called the controversial rationalization of teachers across Nagaland. Superseding earlier orders that had caused widespread disruption, the latest directive aims to restore order and ensure fair deployment of teaching staff. Yet, the real question is whether this move will address the underlying issues or merely rearrange them. According to the notification, 1,274 teachers have been assigned to new postings, 290 retained in their current positions, 70 redeployed, and 16 slated for deletion from service. Teachers are required to report to their new stations within seven days or face salary suspension, and no claims for travel allowance or change of posting will be entertained. DoSE has stated that the order carries the government’s administrative approval.
The government’s intent is clear: impose order, ensure accountability, and implement a rational allocation of teaching resources. However, the history of this exercise tells a more complicated story. The February 6 and 10 orders had redeployed nearly 1,650 teachers, including key subject educators, only to be suspended on February 17 after strong backlash from student unions and community leaders. Allegations of arbitrary transfers, poor planning, and disregard for on-ground realities were rife. A high-level review committee was constituted on April 8 which was supposed to submit its report within one month to the government.
Meanwhile, government schools have borne the brunt of the uncertainty. Mokokchung Times has documented severe cases where schools were left without mathematics and science teachers, retired personnel were reassigned to active posts, and even non-teaching staff were pressed into service as educators. Student bodies have consistently condemned the rationalization drive as chaotic and insensitive. They argue that the department has yet to demonstrate a clear vision for balancing teacher strength between rural and urban schools or ensuring that critical subjects are not neglected.
The latest notification may signal renewed commitment, but implementation will be the true test. Otherwise, it risks being regarded as little more than another bureaucratic measure driven by political interests. For many, trust in the system is already eroded. The government must now prove that this rationalization is not just about numbers on paper, but about restoring dignity and functionality to Nagaland’s government schools.
