ANPSTA alleges decade-long halt in open recruitment of primary teachers in Nagaland

KOHIMA — The All Nagaland Pre-Service Teachers’ Association (ANPSTA) has alleged that the School Education department has not conducted any open recruitment for primary teachers in the state for the past 10 years, while appointments through “backdoor channels” have continued unchecked.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday at Hotel Japfü, Kohima, ANPSTA president Hitova I Murrumi, general secretary Chalievi-l Dahou, senior advisors Hiyelo Jemu and Bendang Mollier, and vice president Virakhoto said they had submitted a representation to the School Education department two weeks ago requesting requisition of 1,168 vacant posts to the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB). However, they have received no response.

The association said trained teachers have been waiting for a decade but no advertisement has been issued in the public domain. “This is a time bomb for the future generation,” they cautioned, calling education “the epitome of society.”

Also read: All Nagaland Pre-Service Teachers’ Association demands requisition of 1,168 primary teacher vacancies, age relaxation

Discrepancies in RTI replies

ANPSTA said it had filed two separate RTIs seeking details of appointments from 2018 till date and from 2016 till date, including qualifications of appointees and whether any public advertisements were issued. They claimed that discrepancies appeared between the two replies, with names missing in one list but present in another, even after excluding 2016 and 2017. Some names, they said, were missing from both.

According to RTI replies, 401 primary teachers were recruited from 2016 till date, the association stated. After excluding repeated names, the total stood at 397. The district-wise figures include: Kohima (34), Dimapur (64), Chümoukedima (22), Niuland (22), Zunheboto (59), Mokokchung (35), Tseminyu (2), Peren (9), Wokha (41), Phek (22), Meluri (6), Shamator (6), Tuensang (12), Noklak (7), Kiphire (7), Longleng (7) and Mon (42).

When asked for proof of advertisements for these appointments, the department could produce only two— one at GPS Totok Chingnyu ‘A’ under SDEO Mon on September 25, 2020, and another at GPS Phiro-B village under SDEO Wokha on July 7, 2021.

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“What about the remaining 395?” the association questioned.

Further, the RTI revealed that 65 of the 397 teachers did not possess the required teacher qualifications. Among them were 10 with PU degrees, 35 with BA, nine with MA, one with BSc, four with no qualifications mentioned, one matriculate, and one substitute teacher.

It also claimed that one candidate was appointed as PT in two different places.

Maintaining that the department’s responses to queries on these discrepancies were inadequate, ANPSTA alleged that appointments were being made through political or other influences rather than fair recruitment.

Also read: Nagaland: RMSA 2016 teachers launch indefinite protest in Kohima

To buttress their point, the association pointed to figures in the department’s own annual reports, which showed 9,337 primary teachers in 2022-23 and 9,626 in 2023-24, with an increase of 289. They asked how this increase occurred without open recruitment.

Nagaland currently has eight government D.El.Ed institutions and more than 14 private institutions producing trained teachers. However, none of them have been given opportunities through public advertisements. Many trainees, ANPSTA noted, have now become overaged or are on the verge of crossing the age limit.

“We are not against the government or bureaucrats, but against the system and policies that are depriving trained teachers,” the association stated.

Further, the association warned that allowing unqualified backdoor appointees to teach would cripple the education system, and called on citizens, D.El.Ed trainees, and others to join them in opposing such practices.

They also highlighted the need to strengthen the quality of education so that students can compete in central recruitment processes instead of relying solely on state government jobs. The association argued that the two-year D.El.Ed course had become “more like a scam” as appointments were not being made on merit.

ANPSTA appealed to the advisor for School Education to issue advertisements for primary teacher posts during the next NSSB examinations.

Memorandum submitted

Meanwhile, since the department did not respond to their earlier representation, the association has now submitted a memorandum to the Principal Director of School Education. The memorandum pointed out the shortage of teachers across the state and reiterated the demand for immediate release of 1,168 primary teacher posts and fair recruitment through NSSB.

If no action is taken, “the association will be left with no other remedial option but will be compelled to take its own further democratic action,” the letter warned.

ANPSTA president Hitova I Murrumi said the association would wait three weeks for a response. If there is no positive outcome, they plan to submit an ultimatum to the department before deciding on the next course of action.