Assistant Professors row: Students’ unions of 11 government colleges demand immediate revocation of ‘attachment’ notification

Mokokchung, 22 May (MTNews): Over the past week, the Ongpangkong Students’ Conference (OKM), Fazl Ali College Students’ Union (FACSU) and Mokokchung College Teacher Education Students’ Union (MCTESU) has been asking the Higher Education Department to revoke the attachment order of their Assistant Professors to New Model Colleges in Mangkolemba and Wakching.

The demand has now been escalated as the All Nagaland Government College Students’ Union (ANGCSU) which includes students’ unions of 11 government colleges in the state has extended their support and has collectively demanded the department to ‘immediately revoke’ the notification dated 9th May, 2023.

The ANGCSU also demanded that recruitment and sanctioning of posts be done via proper channels (NPSC CESE) and that prior consultation be made with all stakeholders involved.

The ANGCSU also pointed out that the notification cited above is in stark opposition to what the New Education Policy (NEP) demands. According to the students’ union, the implementation of Four-Year Undergraduate Program (FYUGP) under NEP from the new academic session 2023, concurrent with the Old Nagaland University Syllabus (2012) and the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) will put additional strain on the “already understaffed colleges.”

It was also pointed out that the Nagaland University Order dated 24 March 2023 has said that the FYUGP NEP, “needs to be implemented from the coming academic session of 2023” requiring additional teaching staff in all departments immediately. Therefore, the students’ unions viewed that the notification cited above is in ‘stark opposition’ to the increasing demands in workload, weakening the already battered structure.

“Any displacement of teachers, irrespective of duration, is an impediment to the learning process of the students. Sending away twelve permanent faculties from existing colleges for a duration of six (6) months will have irreparable repercussions on learning. On the part of the concerned department, it is a blatant display of incompetence at best and indifference at worst,” the students’ unions stated.

Further, while applauding the establishment of new colleges, the ANGCSU pointed out that the haste at which the teachers were roped in “leaves little to be desired” and argued that the current arrangement of transferring teachers from colleges through attachment is “detrimental for all the participating colleges.”

“As per the notification, the faculties sent on attachment will be required to single handedly manage an entire department. One is left questioning as to whether there was any prior consultation with educational experts and stakeholders,” the college students’ unions posed.

They further mentioned that the Assistant Professors at MCTE and SCTE do not possess NET qualification in their own subjects and, therefore, fail to fulfill the minimum UGC norms to teach in colleges.

“As such, transferring this group of faculties on attachment basis violates this norm,” they added.

Expressing their dissent against the notification, the ANGCSU said that they will not remain a mute spectator when the future of the students is under threat.

The eleven government colleges are: Fazl Ali College Students’ Union; Kohima Science College Students’ Union; Dimapur Govt. College Students’ Council; Yingli Govt. College Students’ Union; Kohima College Students’ Council; Zunheboto Govt. College Students’ Union; Phek Govt. College Students’ Union; Pfutsero Govt. College Students’ Union; Wangkhao Govt. College Students’ Union; Mount Tiyi College Students’ Union and Peren Govt. College Students’ Union.

It may be noted here that the Government of Nagaland has in an order on 9 May announced the attachment of 12 Assistant Professors from their current postings to New Model College, Mangkolemba and New Model College, Wakching, Mon. The attachment is for a period of six months or till the recruitment is done by the NPSC, whichever is earlier. It was also informed that the Assistant Professors will draw their salary from their parent colleges. Handing over or taking over of charges shall be done within 15 days of the notification, it said.