Kohima, February 16 The agitation launched by ad hoc teachers in Nagaland to press their demand for service regularization entered its 10th day on Monday, with the demonstrators rejecting the government's request to withdraw the strike.
Members of the All Nagaland Adhoc Teachers’ Group (ANATG) – 2015 batch, held a meeting at their protest site in front of the Directorate of School Education here, and demanded that the government provide a definite timeline for the completion of their regularization process.
The protesters said they rejected the department's appeal to withdraw the strike, claiming that the authorities, in its February 13 letter, failed to provide any specific timeline for the regularization of the 1,166 ad hoc teachers.
The group maintained that mere assurances without a clear roadmap would not address their long-standing demand for service regularization.
In its letter dated February 13, the School Education Department had urged the agitating teachers to resume normal duties, stating that the government was actively examining the matter and making efforts to resolve the issue.
The department also appealed to the teachers to cooperate with it in the interest of students and the academic environment while the process was underway.
However, the ANATG – 2015 batch said the absence of a concrete timeline has compelled them to continue their agitation.
The group warned that it would hold an indefinite hunger strike, which was kept in abeyance since the morning of February 13, following the government's assurances.
The decision to continue the agitation and reject the department's appeal was taken during the general meeting of the group held at the protest site on Monday.
The agitating teachers said they were waiting for the outcome of a high-level meeting convened by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio later in the evening.
They expressed hope that "the meeting would result in a clear and time-bound decision regarding their regularization".
The ANATG – 2015 batch has been protesting since February 4, demanding immediate regularization of their services, stating that they have been serving in an ad hoc capacity for nearly a decade despite repeated assurances from the government.
They have not been protesting on weekends.
The group reiterated that it remains open to dialogue but asserted that the agitation would continue until a definite and written commitment with a specific timeline is provided by the government.
