The Nagaland government on Monday evening decided to put on hold the regularisation of 147 contractual assistant professors and librarians, following sustained protests by aspirants and student bodies in Kohima.

The emergency cabinet meeting came amid mounting pressure from the Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN) and the Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF), supported by the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), among others, who alleged that the regularisation process undertaken in December violated due procedure.

State higher education minister T. Imna Along, addressing reporters after the cabinet meeting, said the decision has been kept in abeyance and that a five-member committee of senior officials has been constituted to engage with stakeholders and review the matter. The panel will submit its report within two months.

“We appeal to all aspirants, student bodies and NGOs to suspend their agitation and take part in the discussions with the committee,” he said.

However, protests by CTAN and NNQF entered their third day on Monday. Demonstrators returned to the streets in the evening, vowing to continue until the appointments are officially revoked.

The government’s decision came hours after the NSF issued a seven-day ultimatum, demanding a rollback of what it called an “unjust” cabinet decision taken on September 11, 2024, to regularise contractual teaching staff “without considering the merit and qualifications of existing faculty members.”

In a letter to the higher education minister on Monday, the NSF said, “If the government fails to act within the stipulated timeframe to address our concerns by April 28, 2025, the Federation will be compelled to take to the streets.”

On Sunday, the NSF had also instructed its members and affiliates to refrain from participating in any “peaceful dharna” supporting the regularisation move.

The NSF also piled on the pressure through its ultimatum. In its letter to the education minister, the NSF also said that it stands united on the “demand for transparency, meritocracy and accountability in recruitment and promotion process” in the education sector while urging the government to reconsider its stand and work towards a resolution that respects meritocracy, justice and equality.

The CTAN and NNQF have reportedly not accepted the government’s move to constitute the committee which they see as “delaying tactics”.