Protesting Nagaland teachers suspend stir after govt promises to address their demands

Kohima, Sep 23 (PTI) The protesting teachers in Nagaland on Tuesday suspended their agitation after the government promised to address their demands within a stipulated timeframe.

Teachers appointed under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) in 2016 have been demonstrating in Kohima over the last 11 days with a host of demands, including regularisation of their services.

A meeting was held between representatives of the Nagaland RMSA-2016 Teachers' Association and officials of the School Education Department at the Civil Secretariat in the evening.

At the meeting, it was decided that a high-level committee will be set up with representatives from the School Education Department, Directorate of School Education, Samagra Shiksha, Finance Department, and Justice and Law Department.

Representatives of All Nagaland School Teachers' Association (ANSTA) and RMSA-2016 teachers will also be co-opted into the committee, which will examine the grievances and charter of demands and submit its report to the government.

In the interim period, a sub-committee headed by the secretary of school education, with representatives from DoSE, Samagra Shiksha, two from ANSTA, and three from NRMSATA, will study the charter of demands and prepare a preliminary report.

The entire process will be carried out in six months, stated the minutes of the meeting.

The meeting was chaired by School Education Secretary and Commissioner Kevileno Angami.

The association stated it was participating in the committee process with "due caution", emphasising that its protest will remain suspended only on the condition that the government's commitment is formal, transparent, and time-bound.

The association cautioned that any delay or deviation from the agreed framework would compel it to resume its protest. PTI NBS NBS SOM