Government disowns notification amid divided student reactions
Students’ councils from at least four government colleges in Nagaland have written separate letters to the Ex-Officio Director of the Department of Higher Education, expressing strong support for the alleged state government’s decision to absorb long-serving contractual assistant professors into regular service.
Dimapur Government College, Kohima Science College Jotsoma, Sao Chang College Tuensang, and Zunheboto Government College are among those whose letters, accessed by Mokokchung Times, show near-identical appreciation for the move, which they say addresses long-standing teacher shortages and recognises the contribution of contractual faculty.
In a letter dated April 9, 2025, the Dimapur Government College Students’ Council wrote:
“We… sincerely extend our appreciation and express our gratefulness to the Department of Higher Education for bringing a closure to the long pending issue of some of our teachers who were serving with utmost sincerity on contractual basis, by way of their service absorption.”
The Dimapur Government College students noted that the absorption comes at a critical time as the college gears up to launch the fourth year of the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUGP), requiring adequate faculty strength.
Similarly, the Kohima Science College Students’ Union on the same day acknowledged the government’s decision, stating:
“The present absorbed teaching faculty filled in the vacuum which ensured that students were not denied of their right to education and ensured that the academic activities continues uninterrupted.”
Citing the State Cabinet’s decision of September 12, 2024, the Kohima Science College students warned that any “coercive action” reversing the absorption “will victimise” both colleges and students who rely on experienced faculty for the ongoing FYUGP and postgraduate programs.
Meanwhile, the Sao Chang College Students’ Union, in a letter dated March 23, 2025, “earnestly appealed” to the Department to uphold the absorption order, arguing that despite the regularisation, the college would still face a shortage of teachers as per New Education Policy guidelines. The union wrote:
“The Contract Assistant Professors had also contributed a lot at the initial process of NAAC Accreditation in order to bring our College under the preview of University Grant Commission as a genuine one.”
At Zunheboto Government College, the students expressed “utmost respect” for the decision in a letter dated April 10, 2025, saying:
“They have given their best years for the uplift of the students and the college. Befittingly, their contingency services have been regularised.”
The coordinated expressions of support surfaced amid criticism from the Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU), which strongly condemned what it termed “arbitrary appointments” of Assistant Professors in the Higher Education Department, alleging the government bypassed the mandated recruitment process through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC).
Further uncertainty was introduced when, on April 10, Chief Secretary Dr J Alam, IAS, issued a circular clarifying: “It has come to the knowledge of the undersigned that Notification No. HTE/HE/134-3/2020(Pt-11) dated 08.04.2025 (Posting of Assistant Professors) is viral on social media and other digital platforms. It is hereby informed that this office has not issued the above notification officially and accordingly, all the Principals, Government Colleges, Nagaland are hereby directed not to facilitate handing over and taking over basing on the aforementioned Notification. This Notification shall be considered Null and Void until further order from this office.”