On February 14, 2022, the government issued a notification appointing the Chairman and Secretary of NSSB after years of struggle by concerned organisations.
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
The Rising People’s Party (RPP) on Tuesday has said that the appointment of the NSSB Chairman and Secretary on February 14, 2022, was a “victory for the student community”.
RPP in a press statement said that appointment comes after years of struggle by many. The party stated that in 2016, the ACAUT movement raised the issue with the state government and later on the PSAN continued the struggle after which the NSF in 2020 prevailed upon the Rio government to set up the body. On July 20, 2020, the government issued a notification constituting the NSSB for recruitment of Group-C posts in the government.
RPP said that unfortunately, even almost after a year of the notification, the body was not functional. Rather, on July 16, 2021 the state government issued a contrary notification stating that 1576 vacant posts under 76 departments, among other things, should be filled up under departmental examinations.
The July 16 notification violated the letter and spirit of the NSSB notification periling the career of thousands of hardworking and sincere students hoping for an end to the backdoor era.
Since the state government back-tracked on its commitment to functionalize the NSSB, the RPP knocked on the doors of the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench.
Through the Counsel, Neiteo Koza, PIL submission was made that “NSSB is established so that recruitment to Group-C posts may be conducted in a transparent and fair manner.”
On September 1, 2021, Judges Songkhupchung Serto and S. Hukato, admitted the PIL submission and also ruled that the July 16, 2021 “OM shall remain suspended till the returnable date.” Later on, Judge, Kakheto Sema, dwelt on the case as well.
The RPP also said that in the meantime, pressure was piling upon the state government from different quarters, and on September 3, 2021, the NSF threatened democratic agitation against the state government.
Responding to the NSF ultimatum, the government issued a notification on October 4, 2021, advertising the posts of Chairperson and Secretary of the NSSB.
On September 21, 2021, the RPP team met the Chief Minister Rio and apprised him regarding the issue but lamented that nothing happened for more than 4 months.
Though the High Court was in favour of settling the case without delay, the government’s counsel kept appealing against such on one pretext or the other.
It also stated that finally the Hon’ble Judges issued an ultimatum to the state government “to come with instruction on the next date, that is, February 16, 2022, as to when the board would be constituted” or else “this court would be compelled to issue the necessary order or direction for constituting the board within a specific period of time.”
Left with no option, on the February 14, 2022, the government issued a notification appointing the Chairman and Secretary of NSSB for which the RPP thanked the Chief Minister Rio for the same.