Published by Aloto Naga | July 14, 2025

Nagaland Govt Moves Ahead with 163 Teaching Posts After Scrapping 147 Regularisations

Amid ongoing tension over the nullified regularisation of 147 contractual Assistant Professors and librarians, Nagaland’s Department of Higher & Technical Education (HTE) has taken decisive steps to reconfigure faculty recruitment. Official records reviewed by Mokokchung Times indicate a two-pronged move:

Requisition of 34 Assistant Professor posts for direct recruitment through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC).
Proposal for creation of 129 new Assistant Professor positions, submitted to the Manpower Rationalization Committee (MRC) for approval.

NPSC Requisition Breakdown

According to the department’s requisition documents:

25 posts (11 in Humanities & Commerce, 14 in Science)
8 posts (7 in Humanities & Commerce, 1 in Science)
1 post in Science

Disability Reservations

In compliance with P&AR Notification No. AR‑3/Gen‑9/97 (dated 13 Aug 2020), the allocated reservations for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities are:

Humanities & Commerce (11 posts): No reservation; these will be deferred to future requisitions
Science (1 post): Reserved under Block 3, Cycle 1, Section 65
Humanities & Commerce (from 8-post batch): One seat reserved under Block 4, Cycle 2, Section 76

Backdrop: NSF Representation & Cabinet Revocation

These decisions follow a representation made by the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) on June 11, 2025, pressing for clarity on the status of the 147 contractual faculty. In response, the HTE department confirmed that a letter from the State Cabinet on April 21 rescinded the earlier absorption order, effectively voiding the regularisations .

The roll-back came after mounting protests led by groups including the NSF, the Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN), and the Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF), who had issued ultimatums and threatened renewed agitation .

The MRC Proposal

In a formal submission dated July 2, 2025 (Letter No. HTE/HE/134-3/2020 (Pr‑11/739)), the HTE has proposed creation of 129 new Assistant Professor posts across government colleges. The proposal comprises seven different forms of Post Creation Memoranda forwarded to the Manpower Rationalization Committee, aiming to reinforce faculty strength and stabilise recruitment.

What It Means

Requisition via NPSC ensures merit-based, transparent recruitment through open competitive exams.
New posts via MRC aim to legitimize the faculty base lost after the cancellation of the 147 posts.
Disability quotas reflect continued compliance with inclusive hiring policies.

Stakeholder Reactions

Student bodies like NSF and CTAN/NFQF, which led protests demanding open recruitment, have welcomed the move to reopen faculty recruitment through NPSC. Their initial opposition centred on administrative opacity and bypassing competitive processes.

Government officials have not yet commented officially on the outcome of MRC’s review, though sources suggest a fast-tracked decision is likely given the urgency to stabilise faculty strength.

What’s Next

Short term: NPSC to begin the recruitment process for the 34 requisitioned posts.
Medium term: Await MRC’s verdict on the creation of 129 posts.
Long term: Timely filling of these 163 positions could resolve ongoing unrest and bolster Nagaland’s higher education system—though student groups remain vigilant.

This move marks a pivot from controversial regularisation to structured, transparent recruitment. Stakeholders across the education sector will be closely watching how quickly and effectively NPSC and MRC act on these posts to restore normalcy. Let me know if you’d like follow-up pieces on the NPSC exam schedule, profiles of protesting student organisations, or expert opinions!