Kohima: The All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) has formally urged the state government to maintain current academic qualification norms that make the PhD mandatory for promotion to senior college positions and to reject proposals for indiscriminate regularisation of guest, ad hoc and contractual lecturers.
Representation submitted to chief secretary
In a representation submitted to the Nagaland chief secretary, the students’ body examined the Nagaland Higher Education Service Rules, 2015 alongside the UGC Regulations, 2010 and the Revised UGC Regulations, 2018. The ANCSU said it was concerned that removing the PhD from promotion criteria for associate professors and professors could undermine teaching standards and damage the credibility of appointments and promotions in state higher education institutions.
The union also sought that future recruitment of teaching faculty in Nagaland be carried out through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC), instead of ad hoc or non-competitive routes.
Why ANCSU opposes changes
According to the representation, the existing regulatory framework recognises a PhD as a mandatory qualification for appointment and promotion to the post of professor. It noted that promotion from assistant professor at Selection Grade/Academic Level 12 to associate professor at Academic Level 13A similarly prescribes a PhD in the concerned or allied discipline together with required teaching experience, research output, publications and other eligibility criteria.
The students’ union argued that diluting these academic prerequisites without a clear statutory or regulatory basis could have consequences for:
- the quality of classroom teaching and supervision;
- research standards and scholarly output; and
- institutional governance and the perceived legitimacy of promotions.
Opposition to blanket regularisation
The ANCSU acknowledged the contribution of serving guest, ad hoc and contractual lecturers to teaching and academic activities but opposed plans for their blanket regularisation. The representation warned that automated regular appointments without a competitive selection process could restrict opportunities for new, qualified applicants and affect merit-based recruitment.
As an alternative, the students’ body recommended adherence to competitive hiring conducted through the NPSC so that appointments conform to established norms and open positions remain accessible to eligible candidates.
Regulatory references cited
The representation explicitly reviewed the following instruments as the basis for its position:
| Regulation | Year | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Nagaland Higher Education Service Rules | 2015 | State-level service rules governing recruitment and promotion in higher education institutions |
| UGC Regulations | 2010 | Central regulatory framework on qualifications and academic standards |
| Revised UGC Regulations | 2018 | Updated national norms on qualifications, including PhD requirements for senior posts |
Implications for stakeholders
Maintaining the PhD requirement would preserve the status quo for faculty promotions and reinforce research expectations for senior posts, the ANCSU said. Conversely, the students’ union warned that any relaxation could dilute academic rigour and affect graduate supervision.
On employment, the union’s stance places emphasis on transparent, competitive recruitment. If the state were to proceed with blanket regularisation, ANCSU cautioned that prospective entrants to the teaching profession might face reduced openings and diminished merit-based advancement.
What remains to be decided
The representation requests that the state government formally retain existing academic qualification conditions and ensure future hiring is routed through the NPSC. The ANCSU has sought written assurance from the chief secretary that the PhD will remain part of promotion criteria and that any proposals for regularisation will not bypass statutory selection processes.
The state administration has not yet issued a response to the representation, and it remains unclear whether officials are considering amendments to promotion norms or a policy on regularisation of contractual teachers.
Key immediate outcomes likely to follow include:
- Possible consultations between the higher education department, the NPSC and student bodies;
- Review or reaffirmation of recruitment and promotion procedures; and
- Debate within colleges and universities over balancing staffing needs with regulatory compliance.
