Dimapur, April 15 (MExN): The Lotha Students' Union (LSU) and the Naga Research Scholars' Forum (NRSF), Hyderabad, today joined others in denouncing the alleged absorption of Assistant Professors and Librarians into the Department of Higher Education (DHE), Nagaland.
In a press release, the LSU expressed its “strongest condemnation” and outrage over what it termed the “arbitrary and unjust absorption” without any public advertisement, competitive recruitment, or adherence to constitutional norms.
This action is not merely an administrative oversight but a deliberate assault on justice, meritocracy, and the aspirations of an entire generation of educated Nagas, it asserted.
According to the LSU, contractual appointments are inherently temporary and should not be used as a covert means to secure permanent positions and contended that the “concealed regularisation” of these posts without scrutiny, fairness, or 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, it stated.
Therefore, the LSU termed the action as a betrayal not only of individuals but also of the very values and principles that define a democratic society and demanded the immediate revocation of the “illegal absorption.”
This is a wake-up call for every Naga, and if this injustice is allowed to stand, it will set a dangerous precedent where nepotism is normalised, and rightful candidates are pushed to the margins, it added.
The Union called on the authorities to advertise the vacancies afresh and conduct recruitment through a fair, transparent, and open selection process, in line with the Constitution and the fundamental principles of equity and justice.
The union also extended its “firm and unwavering solidarity” with the Naga Students' Federation (NSF), Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU), Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN), the Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF), and with every student body, civil society organisation, and conscientious citizen voicing out against the ‘betrayal.’
The NRSF Hyderabad also affirmed its unequivocal support for those protesting against what it deemed a gross violation of the recruitment process under the DHE, Nagaland.
While the state government rescinded its earlier April 8 order formalising the “absorption” of contractual assistant professors, the forum said it was “deeply disturbed and disheartened” by the fact that such an arbitrary order, with no legal basis, was issued in the first place.
Calling it a brazen “process of ‘backdoor’ appointment” at the cost of several other aspiring and eligible candidates, the NRSF said it was not only a grave injustice but an outright betrayal of the principles of fairness and the sincere efforts of deserving individuals.
“It is both sad and ironic that, among others, a department meant to impart and uphold higher education has strayed from its very purpose,” it added.
The forum, thus, called on those at helm of affairs to go beyond merely retracting the order ‘until further notice’ and to ensure that the proper recruitment process is carried out for the same number of positions currently occupied by contractual assistant professors.
It also urged the students’ unions and organisations from the concerned government colleges, which initially ‘welcomed’ the move to regularise contractual positions, to rise above immediate circumstances and consider the situation more broadly.
“Complying with this current unfair recruitment process would undermine their moral authority to speak on any current or future student welfare issues,” it stated, adding that fellow students should be aware that many of them will also be competing for similar teaching positions in the future.
