The Nagaland government on Wednesday revoked its December 17 cabinet decision to regularise the services of 147 assistant professors and librarians, following sustained protests by student and job aspirant groups.

Protesters, including the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), the Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN), and the Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF), had alleged that the appointments were regularised without following “due procedure”.

Despite several rounds of talks, the aggrieved parties remained firm on their demand for the revocation.

The decision to withdraw the regularisation was announced by government spokesperson and cabinet minister KG Kenye after a cabinet meeting where the interim report of a high-powered committee (HPC), set up on April 21, was submitted.

Kenye said the committee had flagged “certain lapses” in the process, echoing concerns raised by the protestors.

Announcing the cabinet decision, Kenye said: “The government has decided to revoke the order of regularising the 147 contractual assistant professors (and librarians), and with this I hope the aggrieved parties who are on the streets will end their agitation.”

He added: “We shall all wait for the final report of the high-power committee, which is due in about two and a half weeks. Based on this report, the cabinet will take a final decision (on the issue).”

Chief secretary J Alam later issued a formal notification revoking the December order with immediate effect.

Earlier in the day, the NSF had locked the entrance gate of the Directorate of Higher Education in Kohima. The gate was unlocked after the cabinet’s decision was announced around 3.30pm. CTAN convener Meshenlo Kath said they called off their six-day protest following the development.

The CTAN and NNQF, while thanking the government, submitted a letter to the chief secretary demanding immediate requisition of the 147 posts to the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) for open competitive recruitment to Grade One posts.

The two organisations have urged the government to complete the requisition within three weeks from Wednesday or else they will “resort to democratic means to assert their grievances by May 21”..

The NSF, which had held a separate protest on Tuesday, had set a seven-day deadline for revocation of the appointments, which ended that day.