Nagaland pre-service teachers raises alarm over recruitment irregularities, demands immediate action

Kohima, Sep 9 (PTI) An association of pre-service teachers in Nagaland on Tuesday raised concerns over the alleged irregularities and lack of transparency in the recruitment of primary teachers in the state.

The All Nagaland Pre-Service Teachers Association (ANPSTA) alleged that over the past decade, more than 1,000 primary teacher posts remained unadvertised, though appointments have continued through questionable practices.

An Education Department official said that the matter is being examined as the pupil-teacher ratio in the state is already 7:1, higher than the national ratio.

The issue will be looked into under the ongoing process of rationalisation of teachers, the official said.

In a press conference, the association's representatives presented findings claimed to have been obtained through multiple Right to Information (RTI) applications, which exposed discrepancies in the recruitment data.

According to the RTI responses, 401 primary teachers were appointed between 2016 and the present time. However, upon careful scrutiny, the association found that many names were repeated or missing, bringing the total down to 397 confirmed appointments, the ANPSTA claimed.

Only two posts were advertised during this entire period - one in Mon district in 2020 and another in Wokha district in 2021 - leaving 395 posts apparently filled through backdoor appointments without any public notice or fair process, the association alleged.

The association also alleged that 65 of these appointed teachers lack the mandatory teacher qualifications. The ANPSTA criticised the education department for failing to provide proper justification or accurate data in response to RTI queries.

They argued that this opaque system endangers the quality of education and constitutes a "time bomb" for the future generation.

Expressing frustration at the government's inaction despite repeated appeals, the association demanded an immediate open recruitment process for the 1,168 pending primary teacher posts.

They referenced a Supreme Court directive from November 2023, stating that recruitment must be conducted exclusively for qualified Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) candidates, rejecting ECCE or Montessori qualifications as valid.

Highlighting the larger impact, the association said this situation reflects not only a failure in public administration but also contributes significantly to rising unemployment among trained teaching professionals in Nagaland.

Many qualified candidates, especially DLA trainees, are now at risk of becoming overage or having their careers permanently derailed due to inaction.

A memorandum outlining these demands and evidence was officially submitted during the day to the Principal Director of School Education, the association said, adding that they would wait for three weeks and resort to a democratic course of action if the department does not positively respond. PTI NBS NN