The All Nagaland School Teachers’ Association (ANSTA) has issued a counter-circular reaffirming the legitimacy of the proposed three-day pen-down strike scheduled from October 14 to 16, 2025, and clarifying that the Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) has no legal authority to veto or restrain teachers’ collective action decided by the ANSTA in compliance with the directive issued by the JCC.
In a statement jointly issued by ANSTA president Kasheto Sumi and general secretary Pekinto Y Jimo, the association asserted that teachers’ rights and duties are governed by the Nagaland State Service and Education Department rules and statutes, not by directives from student bodies.
“The ENSF, being a students’ organisation, has no legal authority to veto or restrain teachers’ collective action decided by the All Nagaland School Teachers’ Association (ANSTA) in compliance with the directive issued by the JCC,” the association stated.
Clarifying its position, ANSTA said the pen-down strike is being held in response to the directive of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) and in accordance with Circular No. ANSTA/CIR/10/24-25/01 dated October 9, 2025, which was issued by the association as an affiliated body of the Confederation of All Nagaland State Services Employees’ Association (CANSSEA).
“This is not a closure of schools but a pen-down strike, the difference of which must be clearly understood,” the statement explained.
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It advised teachers to maintain attendance at the workplace (unless service rules require absence) in as far as possible, but refrain from “pen and paper work”, (i.e., the pen-down method).
The association has called upon all members to act peacefully, maintaining discipline and decorum throughout the three-day protest. Teachers have been advised to avoid any form of obstruction, damage to property, or unlawful activity that could invite penal action from the government.
Further, ANSTA directed its members to document any interference or threats from individuals or organisations, including ENSF, and to report such incidents with names, dates, and witnesses to the association headquarters.
Emphasizing the purpose behind the pen-down strike, ANSTA said the action “is not merely an act of protest but a collective stand to safeguard the very principle of meritocracy — where hard work, qualifications, and fairness prevail over favouritism or influence.”
“As a matured organisation led by intellectuals, the ENSF must understand that the students, as the torchbearers of tomorrow, must be enlightened that their future depends on the fairness of the system they will inherit,” ANSTA asserted.
Calling for unity and resilience, the association urged all district units and teachers’ groups across Nagaland to remain steadfast, maintain morale, and report any obstruction to the ANSTA headquarters.
