Assistant professors’ regularization row exposes policy failures in Nagaland

With no timely advertisements, both contractual teachers and job aspirants feel betrayed by a system that failed to plan

The controversy surrounding the regularization of 147 Assistant Professors in Nagaland has once again brought to light the consequences of poor policy planning and systemic delays in recruitment. The decision, taken by the State Cabinet on September 11, 2024, and formalized through a notification dated December 17, 2024, approved the absorption of fixed-pay Assistant Professors and Librarians as a one-time dispensation.

The move has drawn widespread criticism from aspirants and student organizations, who argue that absorbing contractual faculty without open competitive examinations violates University Grants Commission (UGC) norms and constitutional provisions. Concerns have also been raised about the impact on transparency and fairness in public sector recruitment.

At the heart of the issue lies a long-standing failure by the government to initiate timely recruitment through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC). Many of the absorbed faculty had been serving for years on contractual terms due to acute staff shortages in government colleges. However, the absence of regular recruitment notifications over the years has led to a situation where some of these faculty members have become overage, with no opportunity to enter service through standard procedures.

The opposition to the absorption is not new. Over the years, student organizations, particularly the NSF, have repeatedly objected to such forms of backdoor regularization, describing them as detrimental to merit-based recruitment and harmful to the aspirations of qualified candidates waiting for official advertisements. It remains clear even today that the students’ organizations and the aspirants will not settle the issue with the “absorption,” and therefore, the government can in no way bat its eyes.

Going ahead with its ultimatum, the Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN) and the Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) will stage a protest outside the Directorate of Higher Education starting April 16, 2025. “Failing to comply with our demand will lead to protests outside the Directorate starting from 16th April 2025,” the CTAN and NNQF stated on April 12.

Meshonlo Kath, Convenor of CTAN, confirmed to MT that the protest will proceed as planned. “We have followed due democratic process.

We issued representation, followed it up with an ultimatum, and now, with no positive response from the authorities, we are taking to the streets. This is our democratic right,” said Kath.
The Nagaland University Research Scholars’ Forum (Lumami) has also extended its support. Convenor Teiso informed MT that both executives and members of the forum will participate in the protest.

Meanwhile, the Lotha Students’ Union (LSU) issued one of the strongest statements yet, describing the absorption of the 147 contractual employees as not just an administrative oversight but “a deliberate assault on justice, meritocracy, and the aspirations of an entire generation of educated Nagas.”

“Contractual appointments are inherently temporary and should not be used as a covert means to secure permanent positions,” the LSU said. “The quiet, concealed regularization of these posts without scrutiny, without fairness, without public notice is a gross abuse of power, and a betrayal of every hardworking and qualified youth in Nagaland.”

“When prestigious posts like Assistant Professors are handed out behind closed doors, it doesn’t just erode public faith in the system — it sends a chilling message that in today’s Nagaland, merit is negotiable and privilege rules. This is not only a betrayal of individuals; it is a betrayal of the very values and principles that define a democratic society,” the union said.

The government now finds itself in a difficult position. Terminating the services of the 147 absorbed faculty would likely result in the collapse of functioning in many colleges, given the already limited teaching strength across the state. Yet, proceeding with the absorption has alienated a generation of job aspirants who feel unfairly bypassed.

This controversy is not an isolated incident. Similar administrative indecision can be seen in the Department of Health and Family Welfare, where the regularization of COVID-19 contract doctors remains unresolved. Despite the ongoing shortage of medical personnel, the department has cited pending legal matters as a reason for not initiating new recruitment—a reflection of policy paralysis affecting multiple sectors.

The regularization row has exposed the consequences of administrative delay and the lack of foresight in manpower planning. If vacancies had been advertised and recruitment conducted when the need for faculty was first felt, many of the present-day issues could have been avoided.

Such lapses risk deepening public disillusionment with state institutions.

The state government’s failure to establish timely and transparent recruitment frameworks has now led to a situation where both contractual employees and aspiring candidates feel aggrieved.

Going forward, addressing this gap in recruitment policy and decision-making will be essential to restore public trust and ensure fairness in government appointments.

MT