Backdoor Appointments in the Spotlight: Justice or Political Favouritism?
Nagaland has once again found itself at the heart of a growing storm as controversy surrounds the recent appointment of 147 assistant professors across the state.
Published on Apr 21, 2025
By EMN
- Nagaland has once again found itself at the heart of a
growing storm as controversy surrounds the recent appointment of 147 assistant
professors across the state. Following a statement made by Temjen Imna Along,
Minister of Tourism and Higher Education, the debate has taken a sharp turn,
with various organisations and sections of society alleging that these are
nothing more than “backdoor appointments”—a practice widely condemned in
today’s democratic and merit-based society.
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- “We have been demanded by various organisations to
regularise them. So, taking on that, since 2019, this file was moving. Taking
on that the cabinet was kind enough to listen to the pleas of the so many
stakeholders to regularise them. If it is not so, if there's a problem with it,
then we will see how to best mitigate the need,” the minister stated.
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- While his statement suggests a prolonged process influenced
by persistent appeals from multiple organisations, it raises fundamental
questions about transparency, meritocracy, and public trust. According to
reports, these appointees had been serving on a contractual basis, and the
government’s move was merely to “regularise” their positions. However, the term
"contractual" inherently implies a temporary, non-binding
relationship—terminable at any moment and not guaranteeing permanency or
precedence over open, competitive recruitment processes.
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- If such appointments were indeed contractual, the rationale
behind their regularisation becomes questionable. Were the appeals from unnamed
organisations and stakeholders sufficient grounds to sidestep established norms
of open recruitment? And more importantly, who are these stakeholders whose
voices carried more weight than the pleas of thousands of unemployed and
qualified youth who have not even been given the chance to compete for these
positions?
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- Public outcry has escalated, with youth bodies and civil
society groups calling the appointments a betrayal of the very principles that
leaders like Minister Imna Along advocate. In his previous interviews, the
minister categorically denounced “backdoor, ceiling, and window” appointments,
urging the youth to earn their jobs through legitimate means—examinations and
interviews.
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- The contradiction between these statements and the current
reality of these appointments cannot be ignored. Is this an example of a
government bending under pressure from influential corners, forgetting its
responsibility to uphold equal opportunity and fairness? Have we, as a society,
grown accustomed to favouritism cloaked under administrative jargon?
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- The unrest across the state, the agitations led by student
bodies, and the growing dissatisfaction among aspirants point to a deeper
rot—one where systems built to ensure equal access are manipulated to serve the
few at the cost of the many.
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- If Nagaland is to shed the label of being a “land of
corruption,” this issue must be handled with utmost transparency and
accountability. A public explanation of the selection criteria, the
stakeholders involved, and a possible re-evaluation of the appointments through
open competition would go a long way in restoring trust.
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- Until then, the question remains: Will truth and justice
prevail, or will the system continue to deteriorate under the weight of
backdoor deals and political convenience?
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- A. Anato Swu
