CWS protests illegal appointment, staff shortage

Shuts three government offices in Tuensang

Tuensang, June 15 (MExN): The Chang Wedoshi Setshang (Chang Students’ Conference or CWS), launched the first phase of its agitation on June 15 against three state government departments over their prolonged failure to address longstanding grievances, ordering the closure of the offices in Tuensang until its demands are met.

CWS President Sanglekhamba and General Secretary N Moa announced that the agitation targets the Department of School Education (DoSE), Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), and Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS), Kohima following the expiry of seven-day ultimatums issued to each department on June 1, 2026.

Under the agitation directive, District Education Office (DEO), Sub-Divisional Education Office (SDEO), District Public Relations Office (DPRO) and office of the Additional Registrar of Cooperative Societies (ARCS), in Tuensang stand closed for the duration of the agitation.

The Conference has strictly prohibited designated officials from discharging any official duties, whether from office premises, residences, or any other location during the agitation period. The CWS cautioned it would closely monitor compliance and reserved the right to take stern action against any individual found violating the directive.

As per the CWS, the agitation stems from three issues that have remained unresolved despite months of representations.

School Education: The CWS had written to the District Education Office, Tuensang, vide Letter No. CWS/GEN-02/2026, dated April 17, requesting that release orders of ministerial staff posted at the DEO and SDEO offices be withheld pending suitable replacements.

A follow-up representation was submitted to the Principal Director, Department of School Education, Kohima, vide Letter No. CWS/GEN-10/2026, dated April 29, seeking deployment of adequate relievers against transfer orders. No response was received from the department.

Information and Public Relations: The Conference had opposed the transfer of staff from the DPRO Tuensang without adequate replacement, writing to the Director, DIPR, Kohima, vide Letter No. CWS/GEN-59/2026, dated February 18. A 30-day monitum was subsequently served on April 23 vide Letter No. CWS/GEN-05/2026, demanding provision of replacement staff. The department remained unresponsive.

Cooperative Societies: The CWS raised the issue of the alleged illegal appointment of a non-indigenous individual as a Grade IV (MTS) staff at the ARCS Office, Tuensang, through a representation to the Additional Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Kohima, vide Letter No. CWS/GEN-52/2025, dated November 3, 2025, seeking termination of the appointment by November 8, 2025. When no action followed, the Conference declared a shutdown of the ARCS Office Tuensang effective November 19, 2025, vide Letter No. CWS/GEN-53/2025. The appointment remains in place.

After months of unanswered appeals, the CWS served simultaneous seven-day ultimatums to all three departments on June 1, 2026, vide Letter Nos. CWS/GEN-18/2026 (DoSE), CWS/GEN-19/2026 (DIPR), and CWS/GEN-20/2026 (RCS). The stipulated deadlines elapsed without any satisfactory action or communication from the authorities.

“Despite repeated appeals, representations, and communications, no concrete action has been taken by the concerned departments,” the Conference said in a statement, adding it was “left with no alternative” but to launch the agitation as a “legitimate and democratic means of expressing its grievances.”

The CWS cautioned that it may further intensify the agitation if its demands are not fulfilled at the earliest, while expressing hope that the concerned departments would take “immediate and appropriate steps” to resolve the issues.