The standoff between the Nagaland government and the RMSA-2016 batch teachers has deepened, with the agitating educators threatening to launch a hunger strike if their long-pending pay scale demands are not addressed. The teachers, who have been on protest for the past five days, are demanding parity with their counterparts from the 2013 batch, accusing the state of prolonged neglect and delay tactics. Renbemo L. Patton, spokesperson of the Nagaland RMSA Teachers Association (NRMSATA), said the protest will not end unless the government takes immediate steps to resolve the issue. “We will not call off this agitation unless our rightful demands are met. Several members have voluntarily expressed their readiness for a hunger strike to press for justice,” Patton declared.
The association has criticized the government’s reliance on a pending Supreme Court review petition, terming it a ploy to sidestep its obligations. NRMSATA president Imlitemjen Imchen underscored the teachers’ frustration, stating, “It has been over seven years and seven months in litigation, and instead of resolving the matter amicably, the government continues to drag us to court.” On Thursday, senior officials of the School Education Department, including Commissioner and Secretary Kevileno Angami and Samagra Shiksha Mission Director L. Jamithung Lotha, held a high-level dialogue with NRMSATA representatives. However, the discussions failed to break the deadlock, leaving the teachers even more disheartened.
The protesting teachers argue that their demand is in line with guidelines issued by the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the National Council of Teacher Education. They insist that the government has a responsibility to bring their pay structure in line with established norms, stressing that prolonged uncertainty is causing severe financial and emotional stress.
