Nagaland: Adhoc teachers demand service regularisation

September 27, 2022 41 Views No Comment

Says they have cleared departmental suitability test in 2017

Morung Express News
Kohima | September 27

Braving the monsoon downpour, the All Nagaland Adhoc Teachers’ Group (ANATG 2015 Batch) comprising of 1166 teachers, started its peaceful indefinite protest demanding service regularisation on September 26 at Naga Solidarity Park.

The protesters numbering hundreds then marched to the Civil Secretariat holding banners and placards which read ‘the ANATG-2015 batch demands immediate service regularisation’, ‘we have served the department/government for more than 11 years’ etc.

The chronology
It may be mention that ANATG-2015 batch whose appointment were made between 1995-2012, went for a pen-down strike from May 16-18, 2018 followed by mass casual leave from June 4-6, 2018 and a sit-in protest at the Directorate of School Education from June 18-29, 2018.

Subsequently, a hunger strike was called from June 29, 2018, however it was temporarily suspended following the government’s appeasement policy of implementing the 6th RoP scale pay.

ANATG had also submitted a representation on March 20, 2020 followed by a reminder on December 3, 2021. With no official response from the government or department, it served a 30-day ultimatum addressed to the Principal Director, School Education on July 21, 2022 to resolve the matter.

It had also cautioned that it would resume the ‘temporarily suspended agitation’ if the department failed to act.

Served for more than 11 years
Briefing media personnel, Bendangtemsu Ozukum, spokesperson of ANATG-2015 said, it was compelled to take to the streets owing to the apathy of the government despite several memorandums and ultimatums.

ANATG members, he said were appointed against state sanctioned post on adhoc basis as per the department’s recruitment rules/procedures, and have rendered their continuous services for more than 11 years.

“The 1166 ANATG members have already appeared and cleared the departmental suitability test, verification of documents and interview on May 20 and 22, 2017 and are now eligible for service regularisation,” informed Ozukum.

Narrating the plight of the adhoc teachers who are serving without any service benefits, he maintained that the ANATG members are still deprived of job security till today. Some members, he said, unfortunately passed away while few are diagnosed with cancer and are struggling to sustain today.

Ozukum informed that it will continue its protest till justice is being delivered to its members.

On the court case matter
The State Cabinet on October 3, 2010 has deliberated on the regularisation of 1166 adhoc teachers and reiterated that their cases cannot be regularised till the court case is resolved. However, the Cabinet decided to grant scale pay on the basis of 6th ROP 2010.

While the department/government may have its inability to regularise the ANATG members for various reasons, Ozukum pointed out that the same mode of appointment still continues adding ‘the ANATG and the teachers at large didn’t forcefully enter into the department on adhoc basis, yet it was the department’s rules and procedure for recruitment to this day.’

Shedding light on the ‘court case’ being mentioned by the government, Ozukum said the ANATG was never impleaded in the Court case viz. WP (c) 145k from the first place itself.

He maintained that ANATG is ‘being purposely dragged and sandwiched in the Court judgement/order to which it was never a party or a respondent.’

To this end, he also pointed out the clarification by the petitioner through a written statement that ‘the ANATG were not impleaded in the court case and the redressal to the aggrieved matter solely lies at the disposal of the government.’

Govt can absorb unsanctioned posts why not us?
While stating that it has ‘no objection or rejection’ to the absorption of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) SSA & RMSA teachers into the state cadre by the government, Ozukum cited several disparities and anomalies in the working system of the government.

“While the government can absorbed unsanctioned posts into the state cadre, why are we, the 1166 teachers who has been appointed against sanctioned post not being able to get into the state regular service?” he questioned.

He also pointed out the regularisation of incumbent employees in other departments by the government. Towards this end, he wondered ‘if at all there is a standing court case order, then does that order only apply to the 1166 of the ANATG?’

Source: https://morungexpress.com/nagaland-adhoc-teachers-demand-service-regularisation