DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 1 (MExN): The Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) today said that there is some “ambiguity” in the ANCSU’s demand for solving the contract teachers issue under the Higher Education Department.
“If by solving the issue they meant regularization of the contractual Assistant Professors, most of whom were not recruited through the Nagaland Public Service Commission –Common Educational Services Examination (NPSC-CESE) then there is the absence of meritocracy in their demand,” a press release from the forum stated.
This creates two problems, it stated, adding that “they misguide their own college student members all over Nagaland, as a parent body, by denoting that there is no place for meritocracy and also display disrespect to the institutions that conduct the recruitment process for open and fair competition to select the best educators for quality education in Nagaland.”
What would be the point of their education, exams and degrees then, the forum questioned. It further said that the ANCSU’s primary demand is in contradiction with their other demand for the non-continuation of the contractual teaching services in the higher education department.
“They have even stated that they will not allow such services from the next academic session except on exigency basis. What would be the guarantee that they will not support such contractual appointments in the future?” the forum questioned.
The NNQF reminded that it has been pursuing a court case against these contractual appointments on the basis of their mode of recruitment. “It must be noted that these contractual appointments are extended on exigency basis and further subjected to direct recruitment through the NPSC. These appointments violate the Office Memorandum dated 6th June, 2016, which bans contractual appointments,” it added.
The forum also pointed out that the judgement and order dated August 3, 2018, passed in the case filed by ACAUT and PSAN against the backdoor appointments, had stated that “any appointments made without advertisement and regularization (of such posts) is not only unconstitutional but also null and void.”
“It is a disappointment that in the name of students’ welfare and well-being, certain questionable practices under the Higher Education Department are not only getting support from such distinct organizations, but also zealously being fought for,” it lamented.
The NNQF said that it had submitted a representation to the Minister of Higher Education on September 23 requesting for condonation of age for the contractual teachers so that they can also be given chance to prove themselves through a fair and open competition. It asserted that the NNQF continues to take that stand and discourages the regularization of contractual assistant professors under the Higher Education Department.
