Combined Technical Association of Nagaland-Nagaland NET Qualified Forum calls off protest, demands immediate requisition of posts

Scenes from the sixth day of peaceful protest by CTAN and NNQF outside the Higher Education office in Kohima. (EM Images)

• KOHIMA — The Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN) and the Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) called off their six-day peaceful protest on Wednesday after the state government revoked its order regularising 147 contractual posts of assistant professors and librarians.
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• This marks the fulfilment of the protesters’ primary demand. The contentious order—No. HTE/HE/13-3/2020 (Pt-1) 104 dated December 2024—allowed for the absorption of the 147 ad hoc faculty members into government colleges across the state, a move that sparked outrage among qualified NET aspirants who felt it circumvented the established competitive examination process conducted by the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC).

Also read: Nagaland Cabinet revokes regularization of 147 contractual assistant professors and librarians

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• While celebrating this initial victory, the CTAN-NNQF wasted no time in escalating their pressure. In a memorandum submitted to the chief secretary on Wednesday, they outlined their "second" demand: the immediate requisition of the 147 posts to the NPSC for a fair and open competition, adhering to the office memorandum dated June 6, 2025.
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• The latest memorandum from the protestors stipulates a three-week deadline for the government to comply. Failure to requisition the posts to the NPSC by May 21, the CTAN-NNQF warned, will result in a return to “democratic means” of protest.
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• “We have sacrificed so many days. Now, I should say that the Naga youths have already awakened,” said Meshenlo Kath, the convenor of CTAN.
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  The gate of Higher Education office was locked by NSF on Wednesday. (EM Images)

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• He emphasised the impact of their movement, stating, "Now, whenever the government comes up with another policy to manipulate the people, they have to think ten times."
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• Kath congratulated aspiring candidates, hailing the government’s revocation of the order as a "great victory." He expressed confidence that with a fair and transparent NPSC process, deserving candidates would have a genuine opportunity to secure positions.
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• "We are finally very happy that the government has revoked the order. At the same time, we want to request the government to requisition all those posts to the NPSC at the earliest," he said.
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• The CTAN-NNQF vowed to continue their fight against perceived corruption in other government departments, claiming to possess incriminating documents that will be made public at the appropriate time.
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• They asserted their readiness to challenge any irregularities found within government institutions.
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• The government’s decision to revoke the order on Wednesday followed three cabinet sittings held during the six days of protest.

  Elated aspirants after the government revoked its order on Wednesday. (EM Images)

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• Earlier in the day, the Naga Students Federation (NSF) also joined the agitation, locking the gates of the Directorate of Higher Education in support of the demand for revocation.