Regularization row: CTAN, NNQF await written revocation, NSF mobilizes for Protest

Amid growing opposition to the Nagaland government’s decision to regularize 147 contractual Assistant Professors and Librarians, the Combined Technical Association Nagaland (CTAN) and the Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) on Saturday announced that they had secured assurances from the Minister of Higher Education to revoke the contentious Cabinet order.

In a joint press release, CTAN and NNQF said that following an invitation from the Minister, a meeting was held at his residence at 9:30 AM on April 26, 2025. During the meeting, two key decisions were agreed upon: the Cabinet order dated December 17, 2024, approving the absorption of 147 posts, would be revoked, and the committee formed at the emergency Cabinet meeting on April 21, 2025, would be dissolved.

However, the two organizations cautioned that unless formal written copies of the revocation and dissolution orders are received by Monday afternoon (April 28), the ongoing agitation will be escalated “beyond the level of the previous four days.” They further announced plans to hold an official press conference on Monday following the release of the formal documents.

The developments come even as the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) prepares to intensify its own protest. In a notification issued earlier in the day, the NSF called upon all its federating units to mobilize volunteers for the first phase of democratic agitation, scheduled to commence on April 29 at NSF Oking, Naga Solidarity Park, Kohima.

The NSF, which had served a seven-day ultimatum to the State Government on April 22, stated that the protest would go ahead if the government fails to revoke the regularization order. It termed the move “arbitrary and unjustified,” arguing that it undermines meritocracy, transparency, and the prospects of deserving aspirants.

Volunteers participating in the NSF protest have been asked to wear traditional attire as a show of unity, with the Federation stressing that strict discipline must be maintained throughout the agitation.

While the Minister’s verbal assurances have temporarily raised expectations of a resolution, both CTAN-NNQF and NSF appear firm on pushing forward unless official action materializes, signaling a broader discontent over backdoor appointments and governance practices in Nagaland’s higher education sector.