The Nagaland RMSA Teachers Association (2016 Batch) has appealed to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to intervene and ensure the implementation of a court-directed pay scale for RMSA-2016 Graduate Teachers, stating that prolonged delays have caused financial hardship and uncertainty among hundreds of educators.In an open letter addressed to the chief minister, the association said its members were recruited in 2016 under the erstwhile Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) through a transparent and competitive selection process to address the academic requirements of government high schools upgraded under the centrally sponsored scheme.The association stated that the teachers have been serving in government schools for more than a decade, including in remote and difficult areas of the state. During this period, they have carried out responsibilities similar to those of regular government teachers, including classroom teaching, conducting and supervising public examinations, evaluating answer scripts, mentoring students and managing various school-related activities.
Despite rendering continuous service, the teachers said they have remained on a fixed salary since their appointment. According to the association, the pay structure has not been revised even as inflation and the cost of living have increased significantly over the years, placing many teachers under financial strain.The association said the issue of pay parity eventually led to a prolonged legal battle that continued for nearly eight years. The matter was heard by various courts before reaching the Supreme Court. According to the teachers, the Supreme Court in January 2026 dismissed both the Special Leave Petition (SLP) and the subsequent Review Petition, thereby upholding the judgment of the Gauhati High Court’s Kohima Bench, which affirmed the principle of “Equal Pay for Equal Work” in their case. The association said the verdict had strengthened their faith in the judicial system and raised hopes for a resolution. However, it expressed concern that the court-directed pay scale has still not been implemented.
The teachers pointed out that more than four years have passed since the Gauhati High Court delivered its judgment on March 16, 2022, and five months have elapsed since the Supreme Court dismissed the review petition. Despite repeated representations to the authorities, they claimed there has been no concrete progress in implementing the order. Appealing for the chief minister’s intervention, the association urged the state government to take necessary steps to enforce the court ruling and provide long-awaited relief to the affected teachers, who continue to await pay parity despite years of service and a favourable judicial verdict.
