The Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) and the Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN) on Wednesday raised serious objections to a recent single-bench court order linked to alleged backdoor appointments in the Higher Education Department. The two bodies also urged the state government to immediately advertise the 129 newly created Assistant Professor posts.
Addressing a press conference, NNQF and CTAN referred to the single-bench order passed in WPC(C)/340/2022 and WPC(C)/189–198/2023, which stated that the petitioners did not have the locus standi to challenge backdoor or contractual appointments, as they were not NET-qualified at the time the appointments were made.
The organisations said the order, which has since sparked wide public debate, could have implications far beyond the petitioners involved in the case. They warned that the ruling may effectively deprive educated unemployed youths in Nagaland of the right to challenge future backdoor appointments, putting their career prospects at risk.
Calling the matter one of public interest, NNQF informed that it has moved a division bench seeking a review of the order. Both organisations said they have full faith in the judiciary and are hopeful that their concerns will be addressed.
NNQF and CTAN also pointed to anomalies in the creation of 129 Assistant Professor posts and the earlier move to regularise 147 contractual Assistant Professors, which was later withdrawn. They noted that both orders carried the same Personnel & Administrative Reforms (P&AR) and financial clearance numbers, leading to confusion and disappointment among job aspirants.
To seek clarity, the organisations said an RTI was filed. The reply stated that the 129 posts were not created to absorb the 147 contractual Assistant Professors, despite the identical clearance numbers. According to NNQF and CTAN, the P&AR clearance was issued in 2022 and financial clearance in 2023, while the attempt to regularise the 147 contractual posts took place in 2024 and was revoked in 2025, followed by the creation of the 129 posts. They cautioned that such discrepancies could undermine public confidence and demanded accountability.
The two organisations further expressed concern that the much-awaited 129 Assistant Professor posts are yet to be advertised. They also pointed out that the annual Common Educational Services Examination (CESE) notification has not been released so far.
Urging the authorities to act without further delay, NNQF and CTAN demanded the immediate publication of advertisements for both the Assistant Professor posts and the CESE, citing the prolonged uncertainty faced by thousands of aspirants across the state.