Dimapur, April 26 (MExN): In an absolutely unexpected twist of event now added to the undying hullabaloo surrounding the contract lecturers’ appointment issue, the state government has admitted to contravening departmental directives as well as legal pronouncement issued against retaining contract employees specifically in regard to failed/tenure-completed contract NPSC candidates.
These directives/pronouncements (Nagaland Department of P & AR, February 26, 2001 and Guwahati High Court verdict, December 12, 2006) stipulated in no uncertain terms that NPSC-qualified lecturers be instated in vacancies created by the “outgoing” (contract) employees’ as soon as the results are declared. The same “method” (decision) was employed by the Nagaland Cabinet on December 20, 2006 when it decided to create an ‘additional’ 12 lecturers’ posts to accommodate the contract employees – and the Cabinet was fully aware that none of the 12 appointed had cleared the NPSC.
The justification offered by Higher Education Minister Dr Shurhozelie for this breach of procedural norms, protocol and perhaps, ethical obligations to healthy competition is this – “human touch.” Meaning, to prevent difficulty to students’ academic careers due to laying-off tenure-completed lecturers as well as alleviating the “suffering” contract lecturers who had been serving “for many years and suffering” and “the government thought it is not wise to throw them away after serving for so long.”
So last year’s 12 lecturers’ posts were created to accommodate the lot even though they had not cleared the NPSC examinations. And there shall be no review of the decision taken by the Cabinet on December 20, 2006, and it shall stand no matter what. “What has been done has been done and there will be no review” Minister Dr Shurhozelie told The Morung Express last night, over phone.
When queried why the cabinet should take the decision to instate 12 new posts for candidates when they did not even clear the NPSC examinations, Dr Shurhozelie said “they failed the NPSC examinations but they had been serving on contract basis and the we (the Cabinet) thought it is not wise to throw them away just like that.”
The minister was informed that the Department of P&AR in a memorandum ‘Revised Procedures for appointment in Government’ (Vide No. AR/ASSO/98 (C), February 26, 2001) clearly stated in Para 6, clause (I) that contract appointments are meant only for temporary measure…till the vacancy is filled on a regular basis through NPSC.
To this, he explained that the Government wanted to accommodate the lecturers because “once they are terminated, our colleges and students will suffer.” So the 12 posts were created in a Cabinet decision on December 20, 2006. “They were straightaway appointed” he said.
And the December 12, 2006 Guwahati High Court Kohima bench pronouncement that the failed contract lecturers (who had filed a suit) are not entitled to relief claimed in the suit? “We gave a human touch to their plight” Dr Shurhozelie explained. “The case of the lecturers is somewhat different in nature. If they are terminated students will suffer. Normally the decision are forwarded through the P&AR, finance department etc and then to the Cabinet but we avoided all these formalities and took the decision. So unless it was acted upon fast, they will suffer” the minister explained adding that the government had made some regulations to accommodate candidates. He said that those contract lecturers who had served for 10 years or above would be regularized while those served below five years would be eligible for the NPSC examinations. “And there shall be no review” he added.
NPSC-selected lecturers of the 2004 batch are unhappy at the department of Higher & Technical Education for flouting departmental directives as well as court verdicts and then choosing to appoint ‘undeserving’ candidates who had either failed to clear the NPSC or their tenure as contract lecturers are complete.
A press conference was called today at Sinai Café, Dimapur by lecturers highlighting their displeasure that “undeserving” and unqualified candidates are being selected to man educational service systems while merit candidates are left ‘discarded.’ The department’s open flouting of governmental directives was highlighted at the press meet by lecturers representing the victimized lot. According to a highlight passed to the media persons present, the state government had contravened the memorandum dated February 26, 2001issued by the department of P&AR where it was stipulated that all contract lecturers post are temporary until NPSC candidates fill in their posts. The Cabinet then went on to create 12 new posts for candidates who had either failed or completed their contract. This is injustice to deserving candidates who play their competition purely on merit, the lecturers present said.
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