Kohima, March 10 (MExN): The All Nagaland Hindi Teachers Union (ANHTU) has condemned recent remarks made by Dr Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, Advisor for School Education and SCERT, demanding an immediate withdrawal of what it termed as “wild allegations” against the teaching community.
ANHTU President Sherhinlo Keppen and Secretary M Phyobeni Kikon in a statement stated that the Advisor allegedly claimed that Hindi teachers were “recklessly appointed,” that private institutions are not recognized by the Government of India or the National Council for Teacher Education, and that the appointed Hindi teachers do not hold the proper required certificates to teach the language.
The advisor further stated that many did not even know how to read any Hindi text and he cannot allow such teacher to continue in the post for 35 years and destroy our children, the union alleged.
“The statement has deeply hurt the sentiments of All Nagaland Hindi Teachers Union and it is disgraceful for an elected representative to make such wild allegations against dedicated Hindi Teachers who are working very hard for the future of the students,” ANHTU stated.
Clarifying the recruitment process, the ANHTU pointed out that the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) Act was enacted by the Centre in 1993, but was implemented in Nagaland only in 2017. It asserted that all Hindi teachers were appointed through a due process involving open advertisements, written examinations, oral interviews, and document verification.
The Union detailed multiple recruitment drives, including a government notification on January 10, 2012, inviting applications for 1,379 non-gazetted posts, of which 394 could not be filled due to a shortage of eligible candidates. Subsequent advertisements were issued on August 13, 2012, to fill the backlog, and again on June 19, 2014, for 41 graduate and 72 undergraduate posts against vacancies arising from retirement, death, or promotion.
Prior to 2012, the Union noted, Hindi teachers were appointed through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) in 2005-06. Since the establishment of the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB) in 2020, all vacant posts are requisitioned through it.
The ANHTU also clarified that private Hindi institutions are recognized under the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India.
“After putting years of hard work competing in exam and getting qualified through competition, it is quite disheartening to hear from the Advisor that we don’t even know how to read Hindi and we are destroying our children,” the Union stated.
Urging the Advisor to withdraw the remarks, the ANHTU maintained that such statements “have caused deep concern among the teaching community” and also disparage the integrity of teachers without knowing efforts put by the teachers
The Union added that the “Advisor should be fully aware of the ground-level realities and the circumstances under which Hindi teachers have been serving and contributing to the education system across the state.”
