The Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) and the Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN) have jointly brought to public attention a set of concerns related to the Higher Education Department, particularly in connection with the 129 newly created Assistant Professor posts and recent legal developments surrounding backdoor and contractual appointments.
In a joint statement, NNQF and CTAN highlighted the recent single bench court order in cases pertaining to backdoor/contractual appointments in the Higher Education Department (case no. WPC(C)/340/2022 and WPC(C)/189–198/2023).
They said the Court observed that the petitioners, who are members of NNQF, lacked locus standi to challenge the appointments as they were not NET qualified at the time the appointments were made without advertisement.
They stated that the issue was much talked about in public forums and inquiries emerged. Clarifying doubts on the issue, the two bodies stated that this order may not only strip away the right of NNQF petitioners or CESE aspirants, but the bulk of the educated youth in Nagaland to challenge any backdoor appointments.
They also cautioned that it could terminate the locus standi of any educated unemployed youth putting their future at stake. In this regard, the NNQF appealed to the double bench of the Court seeking a review of the order, which also expressing hope and faith in the judiciary.
Both the organizations also pointed out a discrepancy with regard to the newly created 129 Assistant Professor posts and the attempted regularization of the 147 contractual Assistant Professor posts, which was subsequently revoked.
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According to NNQF and CTAN, both the orders creating the 129 posts and the revoked order concerning the 147 contractual posts were found to possess the same Personnel and Administrative Reforms (P&AR) and financial clearance numbers. This, they said, created confusion, shock and disappointment among aspirants.
To verify the matter, an RTI was filed, and the reply clarified that the 129 posts were not created to accommodate the 147 contractual posts, but they possessed the same P and AR and financial clearance number following the revocation of the attempted regularisation of the 147.
The statement pointed out that the P&AR clearance was issued in 2022 (UO.No1025 dated 12/12/22) and financial clearance in 2023(RFC/ESTT.NO32/25 dated 18/5/23), while the attempted regularisation of the 147 contractual posts took place in 2024, was revoked in 2025, and was followed by the creation of the 129 Assistant Professor posts.
NNQF and CTAN stated that such discrepancies could erode public trust and therefore called for accountability.
The two organizations bodies further expressed concern over the delay in advertising the much-awaited 129 newly created Assistant Professor posts. They also noted that the annual Combined Eligibility Screening Examination (CESE) advertisement has not taken place.
NNQF and CTAN reminded the concerned authorities to put out these much anticipated posts for advertisement process at the earliest.
