Nagaland ad hoc teachers intensify stir, demand long-pending regularisation

The All Nagaland Adhoc Teachers Group (ANATG) 2015 Batch on February 6 intensified its agitation demanding regularisation of their services, staging a demonstration in Kohima amid growing frustration over what they describe as years of official inaction.

Addressing the media, ANATG core committee member Lhovito Sheqi said the group identifies itself as the “2015 batch” as that was the year when 1,166 ad hoc teachers became eligible for regularisation. He said the teachers have been protesting in the state capital for the past three days, with the agitation beginning on February 4 through a silent sit-in at NSF Solidarity Park, where internal discussions and a general meeting were held.

Sheqi said the group held two rounds of talks with the School Education Department on February 4 and 5, followed by a meeting with the chairman of the Screening Committee for regularisation on Thursday. However, none of the discussions yielded a positive outcome, prompting the teachers to escalate their protest.

Following joint deliberations and resolutions, the group carried out a peaceful and silent procession from NSF Solidarity Park to the Secretariat junction. During the protest, an unfortunate incident briefly turned violent, which Sheqi attributed to mounting frustration among members who have been denied regularisation for nearly 14 to 15 years. He said the situation was swiftly brought under control by the police, district administration and ANATG officials.

Tracing the history of the movement, Sheqi said the ANATG 2015 batch had earlier staged peaceful protests in 2018 and again in 2022 after their demands remained unresolved. He recalled that in 2022, an agreement was signed between the Nagaland government and the ANATG, under which a High-Powered Committee was to be constituted within 15 days, submit its recommendations within six months, and resolve the issue by December 2023. Despite these assurances, he said no concrete outcome had emerged even by 2025.

Sheqi said the teachers were compelled to return to the streets despite their reluctance, stressing that the agitation was never intended to be violent. He alleged that on Friday morning, when the group planned a silent sit-in and intended to submit a memorandum through a core committee of district leaders, they were prevented from entering the Secretariat.

“We requested permission to enter and submit the letter, but even that was denied,” he said, adding that the group remains open to dialogue if the government offers a constructive solution.

Responding to questions on procedural delays, Sheqi said the teachers had appeared for suitability tests as per government norms, their documents were verified, and they were placed on scale pay following protests in 2018 based on the 2017 suitability test. He added that the government had acknowledged that the Office Memorandum issued in 2024 was a result of the High-Powered Committee process, and that several departments have since regularised ad hoc employees under the same provisions, while teachers continue to be excluded.

According to Sheqi, the department has informed the group that all required documents have been submitted to the Personnel and Administrative Reforms department, but repeated demands for additional documentation at different stages have led to what he termed a “blame game” between departments.

“If the government does not come up with a solution, we are prepared to continue our agitation until our demands are met,” he said.