ANCSU opposes dilution of PhD norms, blanket regularisation of guest faculty in Nagaland

The All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) has opposed reported proposals to delink the PhD qualification from promotion criteria for associate professors and professors, as well as demands for blanket regularisation of serving guest, ad hoc and contractual lecturers in the state.

In a representation submitted to the Nagaland chief secretary, the students’ body urged the state government to retain the existing academic qualification requirements and ensure that future recruitment of teaching faculty is conducted through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC).

The ANCSU said it had examined the Nagaland Higher Education Service Rules, 2015, along with the UGC Regulations, 2010 and the Revised UGC Regulations, 2018. It expressed concern that any dilution of prescribed academic qualifications could affect teaching standards and the credibility of appointments and promotions in higher education institutions.

According to the union, the existing framework recognises a PhD as a mandatory qualification for appointment and promotion to the post of professor. It also provides for a PhD in the concerned, allied or relevant discipline for promotion from assistant professor at Selection Grade/Academic Level 12 to associate professor at Academic Level 13A, subject to prescribed teaching experience, academic contributions, publications and other eligibility criteria.

The ANCSU said it therefore opposed any proposal to remove the PhD requirement from the promotion criteria for senior academic positions.

The students’ body maintained that lowering qualification requirements without a clear statutory and regulatory basis could have implications for the quality of teaching, research, academic supervision and institutional governance.

ANCSU opposes blanket regularisation

The union also opposed the blanket regularisation of all serving guest, ad hoc and contractual lecturers, while acknowledging their contribution to teaching and other academic activities.

It argued that regularising such appointments without a competitive selection process could limit opportunities for qualified young aspirants seeking to enter the teaching profession.

The ANCSU urged the state government to ensure that recruitment and regular appointments in higher education are based on prescribed qualifications, transparent procedures and competitive selection.

It also called for future recruitment of teaching faculty to be undertaken through the NPSC, maintaining that a merit-based recruitment process would provide equal opportunities to eligible candidates while strengthening transparency and credibility in the state's higher education system.