Kohima: Tensions escalated in Nagaland on Tuesday as student bodies and job aspirants staged widespread protests against the state government’s recent decision to regularise 147 ad-hoc and contractual assistant professors under the Directorate of Higher Education (DHE).
Leading the demonstration, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) launched the first phase of its agitation after the state government failed to respond to a seven-day ultimatum issued earlier this month.
Over a thousand students marched from Naga Solidarity Park to the DHE office in Kohima, where they held a peaceful sit-in.
The protestors are demanding the immediate withdrawal of the government order issued on April 21, which regularised the appointments.
They argue that all such positions must be filled through open competition conducted by the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC), to ensure transparency and merit-based recruitment.
NSF president Medovi Rhi strongly condemned the move, calling it an attack on the principle of meritocracy.
“This is not just unfair—it is a denial of opportunity to thousands of hardworking youth,” he said.
“We are not asking for favours. We demand what is justly ours.” Rhi affirmed that the NSF would continue its agitation until justice is delivered.
Alongside the NSF, members of the Combined Technical Aspirants Nagaland (CTAN) and the Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) resumed their own protest actions on Tuesday.
Their demands include three key points: the revocation of the regularisation order, the dissolution of the High-Powered Committee (HPC) formed to review the case, and the requisition of 17 academic posts through competitive exams.
CTAN and NNQF had initially launched their protest on April 21, but temporarily paused it on April 25 after receiving verbal assurances from the Minister for Higher Education.
However, with no formal action taken, the groups resumed their demonstrations.
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On Monday, the Nagaland state cabinet attempted to ease tensions by reducing the HPC’s reporting timeline from eight weeks to four, and reiterated its commitment to investigate the matter thoroughly.
Despite this move, protest leaders remain unconvinced and continue to demand immediate corrective action.
Security personnel and district administration officials have been deployed in the area to ensure that the protests remain peaceful and do not escalate.
