At Nagaland University Kohima Naga teachers face discrimination

Kohima: Amid the protest against the alleged threat to the Pro-vice Chancellor of Nagaland University Kohima Campus, a revelation was made on how Naga teaching faculty at the Central University are allegedly discriminated against.

Professor Rosemary Dzüvichü, executive member of the Central Executive Council (CEC) Nagaland University Teachers Association (NUTA) revealed that there is a lack of respect by the University authority towards the Naga faculty.

Speaking to reporters, Dzüvichü said, “We received information that there have been a lot of lack of respect by the University authorities, particularly on Naga teachers.

We have heard of derogatory words being used even among women. These are the kind of behaviour that is totally unacceptable towards the teaching community, that too in a central university which is open to all citizens in India”.

The former CEC NUTA president said that the recent incident ignited the revelation of past incidents faced by the faculty.

She said that no “outsider” who came to the University for education was ever discriminated.

“We do not expect that kind of discriminatory behaviour when they are here in our own land. The danger of this kind of racist attitude, when it is not stopped, will fester also within the fraternity itself.

Also, these are very unhealthy signals that we have been witnessing,” she said.

She stressed that there must be equal respect to the teaching faculty as Naga teachers have given best, are equally qualified with the rest of the teachers from outside the state.

“With such a scenario, it will be very unhealthy if the University authorities does not respect the locals,” she said.

The NU Kohima campus, she said, lacks proper infrastructure such as no common auditorium, shortage of classrooms, canteen, hostels and more.

She said that the students and faculty are compelled to travel to another village at Kohima Science College auditorium, Jotsoma to conduct programmes.

The campus currently has over 12 departments and has been producing thousands of students.

While funds have been earmarked for many departmental works, she said that many work progress is yet to be seen.