Our Reporter
Dimapur, Aug. 20 (EMN): The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has appealed to the government to expedite the implementation of Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB) in the state.
Speaking to the media after its 3rd Federal Assembly (2021-23) at Hotel Acacia in Dimapur on Saturday, president of NSF Kegwayhun Tep said that it had has been pushing the state government since 2019 to recruit grade II posts.
‘But we are dismayed that till today, the government is unable to fully make the NSSB operational, and for which we the student community once again call upon the government to ensure that recruitment through NSSB be made possible,’ he said.
He informed that the federation had met with the NSSB secretary on the matter, and they were assured that the advertisements would come out within this month. The secretary said that most of the departments, despite notifications issued to them to submit the requisite posts for recruitment, were “not in a position to send the requirement to the board for recruitment”, he added.
In this regard, the student body has appealed to all the departments to ensure that the requisite number of vacancies in their respective departments are sent to the board as early as possible to ensure that NSSB is materialised and made operational.
“Considering the employment opportunities in the state of Nagaland, many youths are frustrated because recruitment is not through proper channels and the purpose of NSSB is to make sure that backdoor appointment is done away with and examination is conducted through fair means,” Tep said.
While warning that the student community would resort to democratic protest very soon if the NSSB is not constituted at the earliest, it also asserted that until and unless the NSSB is made functional and the recruitment done under the board, the government has to ensure relaxation for entry to give opportunity to all the educated youths to be able to sit for the examination.
‘Don’t accept aid from armed forces’
While reiterating its demand for repealing of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), General Secretary of NSF, Süpuni Ng Philo, said no individual or group across the “Naga homeland” should accept any form of humanitarian aid from Indian armed or paramilitary forces.
The student body has resolved not to allow any individual/groups to invite Indian armed and paramilitary forces personnel to any event being organised in the Naga homeland or partake in any official event of such forces, it was informed.
As a mark of protest, Philo said black flags should be hoisted across Naga homeland, and the federating units and subordinate bodies of the federation should be responsible for the effective implementation of this resolution.
Further, Tep appealed to the government of India to deliver justice to the victims who were killed in December 2021 killing incidents.
‘NSF will ensure that unless justice is delivered to the victim’s family, we will continue to fight for justice,’ he added.
Traditional attire in schools, colleges
NSF president said that the federation had resolved to appeal to all the educational institutions in Naga-inhabited areas to spare a day in a week for students to wear traditional attires in order to protect the cultural identity of the Nagas and the indigenous people inhabiting in Nagaland,.
However, he clarified that the resolution is not imposed but “they want to appeal to the institutions to ensure that students wear traditional attire in their formal classes”.
This is inclusive of colleges, higher secondary schools and high schools, he said, adding that if students of class five and above can wear traditional attire for a day in a week, “the NSF will really appreciate them”.