KOHIMA, JANUARY 18 (MExN): The Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) has issued an open letter to the Governor of Nagaland, La Ganesan, urging his intervention in the ongoing regularization of contractual assistant professors in the Higher Education Department. The NNQF, which comprises NET/PhD qualified individuals eligible for the Common Educational Services Examination (CESE) under the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC), has expressed concerns over the fairness and legality of the process.
In the letter, the NNQF highlighted that the CESE is a vital gateway for recruitment to academic posts, requiring candidates to meet strict qualifications, including NET/PhD. The forum argued that any recruitment outside this process violates the fundamental right to equal opportunity, particularly when some contractual assistant professors, who were not recruited through the CESE, are being considered for regularization.
The NNQF raised these concerns in a court case titled "The Nagaland NET Qualified Forum members Vs the State of Nagaland" (Case no.: WP(C) 340/2022 and WP (C) 188-198, 208/2023), questioning the legitimacy of such appointments. The forum’s members maintained that any regularization before the court’s decision would amount to contempt of court, as the matter is still sub judice.
In a representation submitted to the Minister of Higher Education, Temjen Imna Along, on September 23, 2022, the NNQF urged the state government to halt the regularization process until the court ruled on the matter. Despite the appeal, a notification dated December 18, 2024, emerged, indicating the absorption of contractual assistant professors into the department, prompting further concern among the forum’s members.
The NNQF pointed out that many of the candidates being regularized do not meet the required qualifications and were not recruited through the CESE process. The forum warned that this could diminish the importance of the CESE, making it less likely for qualified candidates to be recruited through proper channels. They also raised concerns that such decisions could lead to the manipulation of the recruitment process, undermining open and fair competition.
The forum called for an immediate halt to the absorption process and requested that age relaxation be considered for contractual employees, allowing them to participate in the CESE along with other aspirants in the future. The NNQF emphasized the need for equal opportunity and fair competition in academic recruitment and urged the Governor to intervene in the matter to safeguard the rights of all aspirants.
In light of this, the NNQF appealed to the Governor to ensure that the right to equal opportunity is upheld, and that any recruitment process in the Higher Education Department is transparent, fair, and in accordance with established procedures.
