KOHIMA, May 1: The Nagaland government has formally revoked its earlier decision to regularise the services of 147 contractual assistant professors and librarians, following sustained public protests and the submission of an interim report by a High Powered Committee (HPC) examining the matter.

The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting held in Kohima and comes amid mounting pressure from civil groups including the Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN), the Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF), and the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF). CTAN and NNQF had maintained six days of peaceful protests, while the NSF joined the agitation for two days, culminating in the lockdown of the Directorate of Higher Education.

An official notification issued by the Chief Secretary on Wednesday, with the Cabinet’s approval, confirmed the cancellation of the earlier absorption orders dated December 17, 2024, and April 10, 2025.

Cabinet spokesperson and Minister KG Kenye addressed the media, confirming the revocation and citing serious procedural lapses by the Department of Higher Education. “In the first place, it is unfortunate that certain lapses have been committed by the Department of Higher Education, which misled the entire Cabinet and the government into a very awkward situation,” Kenye said.

He acknowledged the Cabinet’s embarrassment in reversing its own decision but stressed that the move was necessary in light of findings from the HPC’s interim report. Until Tuesday, he noted, the government had only placed the previous order in abeyance, as there was insufficient evidence to act definitively.

“Today, the Cabinet received the interim report of this High Power Committee and they could provide us some basis upon which the Government, the Cabinet could take action,” Kenye explained. Following in-depth deliberation, the Cabinet decided that a complete review was necessary, leading to the formal withdrawal of the regularisation order.

The final report from the HPC is expected in approximately two and a half weeks. “After the final report is submitted, the Cabinet will take a final decision,” Kenye stated, emphasizing that further actions will depend on the committee’s conclusive findings and recommendations.

Responding to questions about the delay in addressing the issue, Kenye admitted that the matter had not reached the higher echelons of the government earlier. “It never came up to the Government or the Cabinet’s level earlier,” he said, attributing the delay to internal oversights within the Department of Higher Education.