Is Nagaland’s Education System Betraying Merit and Transparency?

As someone who deeply values fairness and integrity in public service, the recent appointment of 147 Assistant Professors and Librarians in Nagaland’s Department of Higher Education has been profoundly disheartening. To me, this isn’t just another bureaucratic misstep—it feels like a betrayal of the very ideals we’ve been told to believe in: merit, transparency, and equal opportunity.

The Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN) and the Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) have mobilized for a protest on April 24, 2025, denouncing the state government’s April 21 decision to form a committee to assess the controversial regularization of these positions. This committee, in my view, is merely a stalling tactic that dodges the call for merit-based recruitment and overlooks the youth who’ve toiled for a fair shot.

What’s most troubling is how openly these appointments seem rooted in favoritism and backdoor dealings. The CTAN and NNQF are calling on citizens and organizations to join a march starting at 9:00 am from the Nagaland Secretariat in Kohima, heading to the Higher Education Directorate for a peaceful sit-in.

Their demands are clear:

1. Rescind the government order (No. HTE/HE/13-3/2020 (Pt-1) 104, dated December 17, 2024) that legitimized the 147 appointments;

2. Transfer all contractual appointments made after June 6, 2016, to the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) for proper recruitment, per the memorandum banning such hires; and

3. Abolish the government’s review committee.

The justification given by Minister Temjen Imna Along—“It was not an emotional decision but an empathetic, practical one”—rings hollow. It’s especially disappointing from someone who once stood for merit-based recruitment. The shift in stance is not just ironic—it’s painful.

The absence of open competition in regularizing these positions is not a technical oversight—it’s a deliberate dismissal of deserving individuals who’ve worked hard and waited patiently for a fair chance. That denial cuts deep, especially for the youth who still hold onto hope in a system that now seems more about connections than competence.

The groups pledge to sustain their agitation until the recruitment process embodies fairness and openness, with plans to submit a memorandum to the Chief Secretary on April 23 after a failed attempt on April 22 due to the official’s absence. The outcry from youth bodies and civil society is not just noise—it’s a cry for justice, and I stand with them.

Students protesting against the government

Because if this kind of decision-making becomes the norm, what hope do we leave for future generations who dare to believe in a system that rewards merit? The government must provide transparency on the criteria used, the stakeholders involved, and why this route was chosen. And if fairness is to mean anything, these appointments should be reconsidered through an open, competitive process.

This issue has led me to reflect on how silence often endorses wrongdoing. Traditional leaders, churches, and elders—those with influence—must speak up. If they don’t, who will? We owe it to our youth to create a society where justice isn’t optional and integrity isn’t negotiable. This isn’t just about a few jobs—it’s about the soul of our system, and right now, that soul feels deeply compromised.

News Source: India Today NE About the Author: Tongpang from Nagaland, a core member of the Ek Naitik Bharat movement, promotes ethical leadership and bridges divides between Northeast India and other regions. His work with organizations like Caritas India and Initiatives of Change focuses on peacebuilding and social development. Passionate about indigenous movements and interfaith collaboration, he advocates for inclusive communities.