NIT Silchar Muster Roll Workers Begin Indefinite Hunger Strike Over Regularisation Demand

Contractual muster roll workers of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Silchar have begun an indefinite hunger strike inside the institute campus, demanding the regularisation of their jobs and implementation of a Gauhati High Court order concerning their service conditions.

The protest, organised by the NIT Workers Union, began on Monday, August 10. Around 54 muster roll workers are taking part in the protest, with six of them currently observing the hunger strike, according to the union.

The workers are holding the protest inside the administrative building area of the NIT Silchar campus. Their main demand is the implementation of the Gauhati High Court judgment, which they claim directed the institute to regularise muster roll workers and extend the benefits available to permanent employees to them as well.

Speaking to the media, a representative of the workers said many of the employees have been working at NIT Silchar for several decades. According to him, some have been serving the institute regularly since 1993.

He said there were earlier around 122 such workers, of whom only about 20 were regularised. The remaining workers, he claimed, were assured that they too would be regularised. However, he alleged that the assurance has continued for years without a final resolution.

The workers’ representative also referred to a 2026 Gauhati High Court ruling, claiming that the court had directed the regularisation of muster roll workers and asked that facilities enjoyed by permanent employees also be made available to them. He alleged that the order has not been implemented by the NIT Silchar administration.

The representative further said that the High Court ruling referred to an earlier Supreme Court order in connection with the matter. The workers are now demanding that the court directions be implemented.

The union has also raised allegations regarding the appointment of new employees at the institute. The representative alleged that some appointments were being made through an improper process and claimed that interviews were conducted in the morning, followed by appointments later in the day. He further alleged that appointments were being given to people known to those in positions of influence.

The workers have described their protest as a fight for justice and the rule of law. Their slogans include, “One Voice, One Demand: Implement the Gauhati High Court Judgment” and “Rule of Law Must Prevail: Implement the Gauhati High Court Judgment.”

The union has said the hunger strike will continue until their demands are addressed, with the workers seeking regularisation after what they describe as decades of service at the institute.