KOHIMA, April 27 (MExN): The Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) and the Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN) on Sunday issued a strong condemnation over what they called the "appalling betrayal inflicted upon the innocent students of Sao Chang College, Tuensang," in connection with the "arbitrary and illegal absorption" of 147 contractual assistant professors.
In a joint statement, the NNQF and CTAN said it was "a matter of deep shame that individuals entrusted with the noble task of educating the youth have stooped to deceit, coercion, and intimidation."
According to the groups, certain contractual assistant professors, "once praised as the 'backbone of colleges' by the Honourable Minister of Higher Education," had "misled and pressured student leaders into signing letters of support they neither fully understood nor truly consented to."
"Students were threatened with severe consequences if they chose to dissent—an unconscionable abuse of power within a space meant for learning and growth," they stated.
Calling attention to what they described as a grave breach of trust, the NNQF and CTAN questioned, "Where is the diligence that an educator is sworn to uphold? Where lies the sincerity that ought to define a teacher’s calling? What has become of the honesty that forms the very foundation of the teaching profession?"
They asserted that the emotional and psychological harm inflicted on the students "cannot be understated," stating that the students were "stripped of their peace of mind, robbed of their academic focus, and burdened with fear and disillusionment."
"Such acts of betrayal are not mere personal failings—they strike at the very heart of our society's faith in its education system," they added.
The NNQF and CTAN praised the students for "courageously speaking the truth," saying they "have shattered the façade that sought to conceal a deeper rot" and exposed "the murky and corrupt processes underlying the illegal regularisation of contractual assistant professors—a process that violates merit, disregards due process, and mocks the aspirations of thousands of deserving, qualified candidates."
Stating that the incident was "not an isolated incident confined to one college," the statement warned that it was "a symptom of a larger malaise that threatens to corrode the integrity of education across Nagaland."
"This is not merely a college issue; this is a battle for the soul of our education system, for the future of our youth, and for the dignity of fair and honest governance," it said.
Issuing what it described as "a fervent call to every conscientious Naga citizen," the organizations urged, "Now is the time to rise. Now is the time to stand firm against corruption, against injustice, against the betrayal of our future."
"If we remain silent in the face of such brazen illegality and moral decay, we become complicit in the erosion of our children's futures and the collapse of the principles we hold dear," they said.
The NNQF and CTAN demanded "an immediate, transparent, and independent investigation into these disgraceful acts—both the coercion of students and the larger illegal absorption process." They further insisted that "those responsible must be held accountable not merely for administrative irregularities, but for the ethical and moral crimes they have committed against the students, the system, and the people of Nagaland."
