The Nagaland Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) 2016 Teachers’ Association on Monday appealed to the state government to address their long-pending demand and implement the scale of pay as directed by the courts. The Association also stated that RMSA teachers have not received their salaries for the past two months.

Addressing the media, RMSA spokesperson Renbemo L Patton said the Association was representing the RMSA teachers recruited in 2016 and pointed out that it has already been four years since they secured a favourable judgment on March 16, 2022. Despite the passage of time, he said, the government has yet to implement the scale of pay granted by the court.

Patton recalled that the teachers had resorted to agitation last year and remained on the streets for nearly three weeks. However, keeping the interest of students and education as their priority, they suspended their protest after receiving an assurance letter from the government on September 11, 2025. The letter stated that the scale of pay would be implemented immediately after the review petition was dismissed.

He said the Supreme Court dismissed the review petition on January 15, 2026, but more than five months later, the government has still not complied with the court’s directive.

“We were surprised to learn that even after the Supreme Court judgment, the government again referred the matter to the Advocate General for consultation. The Advocate General clearly stated that all legal remedies had been exhausted and that the government must comply with the court’s order,” Patton said.

He further stated that the matter was subsequently placed before the Cabinet, but alleged that attempts were being made to identify anomalies or loopholes in a judgment already settled by the Supreme Court.

Stressing that everyone is equal before the law, Patton urged the government to honour the court’s directive and deliver justice to the teachers.

“It is our humble request to the government to comply with the court’s order and avoid further complications between the two sides. Let us not be caught in the crossfire again,” he said.

Patton also expressed concern over the possible impact on students. He noted that the first phase examinations for Classes 4, 8 and 9 are scheduled to begin on June 24 and warned that continued delay by the government could adversely affect the academic environment.

“We have served under the government for more than ten years. We are not asking for anything extraordinary. We are only requesting the government to grant us the rights that have already been upheld by the Supreme Court. We are appealing to the government to implement the scale of pay and deliver justice to the teachers,” he added.

Executive Member Akabo S. Aye elaborated on the legal proceedings, stating that the court had clearly held that the petitioners were entitled to a pay scale under Pay Band Rs. 9,300–34,800 with a Grade Pay of Rs. 4,200 per month and directed the state government to grant the same forthwith.

He said the state government subsequently filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) before the Supreme Court, which was dismissed on May 22, 2025.

“The Supreme Court observed that it was not inclined to interfere with the judgment and order of the High Court and accordingly dismissed the Special Leave Petition. It also vacated the interim order and disposed of all pending applications,” Aye said.

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Following the dismissal of the SLP, the government filed a review petition, which was also dismissed by the Supreme Court on January 15, 2026. The Court further rejected the application for oral hearing and disposed of all pending applications.

Aye said the 2022 judgment had clearly specified the scale of pay to be granted, including the Pay Band of Rs. 9,300–34,800 and Grade Pay of Rs. 4,200 per month. He added that the government later sought legal opinion from the Advocate General, who advised that the judgment must be implemented since all legal remedies had already been exhausted.

According to him, the concerned department had forwarded the file to stakeholder departments, including the Finance Department and the Personnel & Administrative Reforms (P&AR) Department, both of which had reportedly given their concurrence. The matter was then forwarded to the Cabinet.

“We have learned that there have already been two Cabinet meetings regarding our issue. However, no approval or order for implementation has been issued so far,” he said.

Aye said RMSA teachers have been serving schools and society with utmost sincerity for more than a decade and have been fighting the legal battle for over seven years.

He appealed to the government to seriously consider their demand and implement the court’s directive without further delay.

Questioning the continued inaction, the association asked, “What is the problem with the judgment? Where are we supposed to get justice?”

The Association maintained that it had given the government sufficient time to address the matter and asserted that the rights of RMSA teachers, as upheld by the courts, should be respected and implemented at the earliest.