Tribal representatives formed the Naga People’s Convention, usually abbreviated as NPC, in 1957 during one of the most violent periods of modern Naga history. It brought together leaders who wanted to restore peace and find a constitutional political settlement. Consequently, its work led first to the Naga Hills-Tuensang Area and later to the Sixteen-Point Agreement, which became the basis of Nagaland statehood.
For NPSC, the NPC must be distinguished from the Naga National Council. The NNC asserted an independent political position and led the underground movement. The NPC negotiated for a separate state with constitutional safeguards within the Indian Union. These different approaches existed at the same time and explain why statehood did not end the conflict.
Background to the Naga People’s Convention
By the mid-1950s, relations between the NNC-led movement and the Government of India had deteriorated sharply. Armed activity, security operations, arrests, village regrouping and reprisals caused suffering across the Naga Hills. Public life became extremely difficult, while opportunities for open political discussion narrowed.
Many tribal leaders, elders and public representatives believed that they needed an alternative channel. Therefore, they sought a political unit that would unite the Naga Hills District of Assam with the Tuensang Frontier Division, protect customary institutions and create representative government. The Convention emerged from this search for peace and an achievable constitutional arrangement.
Formation at Kohima in 1957
Representatives of various Naga tribes formed the Naga People’s Convention in August 1957. Its first session opened at Kohima on 21 August under the presidency of Dr Imkongliba Ao. He became the central public figure of the Convention and later led its negotiations.
Leaders called it a “Convention” because they conceived it as a gathering of tribal representatives rather than an ordinary electoral party. Moreover, it sought to build a common position through meetings, tribal consultation, committees and negotiated resolutions.
The First Convention and the NHTA Proposal
The first major proposal sought a single administrative unit by merging the Naga Hills District with the Tuensang Frontier Division of the North-East Frontier Agency. Leaders viewed the territorial and administrative division between the two areas as an obstacle to common development.
The Government of India accepted the proposal and inaugurated the Naga Hills-Tuensang Area, or NHTA, on 1 December 1957. The Governor of Assam administered it as the President of India’s agent. Thus, the new area remained distinct from the ordinary administration of Assam.
The NHTA was an important advance, but it was not full statehood. It did not yet possess the complete elected government, legislature and constitutional position demanded by the Convention.
Consultation Between the Conventions
The NPC did not move directly from its first meeting to a final agreement. Delegates held a second convention at Ungma in 1958. Meanwhile, committees consulted tribes, collected proposals and studied the form of government that could protect Naga social and political institutions.
A Select Committee reviewed reports and appointed a Drafting Committee. This step-by-step method is important. Delegates did not prepare the Sixteen-Point proposal during a single meeting; it emerged from conventions, tribal consultations and committee work.
Third Convention at Mokokchung
The third Naga People’s Convention met at Mokokchung from 22 to 26 October 1959. It adopted the Sixteen-Point proposal as the basis for negotiation with the Government of India. The proposal asked for a state named Nagaland, a Governor, a Council of Ministers, a legislature, representation in Parliament, financial assistance and special protection for customary law, land and resources.
The Convention selected a negotiating body to present the proposal. Dr Imkongliba Ao led the delegation, which met Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in New Delhi. After discussion, both sides reached the Sixteen-Point Agreement of 1960 on 26 July 1960.
Role of Dr Imkongliba Ao
Dr Imkongliba Ao served as president of the NPC and played a decisive role in bringing tribal representatives together. His leadership combined public consultation with negotiation. He argued that a separate state with constitutional guarantees could provide both peace and political recognition.
His work also involved grave personal danger. Attackers shot him in 1961, and he later died from his injuries. His death showed the depth of disagreement surrounding the NPC route. However, Nagaland remembers him as one of the principal architects of statehood.
Main Achievements of the NPC
- The Convention created a public forum for tribal representatives during a period of violence.
- Its first success merged the Naga Hills District and Tuensang Frontier Division into the NHTA.
- Committees developed the Sixteen-Point proposal through consultations and conventions.
- Negotiators reached a written agreement for the creation of Nagaland State.
- Constitutional safeguards placed customary law, land and resources within a special framework.
Criticism and Limits
The NPC did not represent every stream of Naga political opinion. The NNC and underground groups rejected the statehood settlement and did not participate in the negotiations. They argued that the Convention could not settle the larger question of Naga sovereignty.
The NPC route therefore produced a constitutional state but not a complete political settlement. A careful answer should recognise both facts. The Convention achieved a major institutional change, yet the exclusion of the underground movement meant that conflict continued after 1963.
NPC, NHTA and Statehood: The Correct Sequence
- August 1957: first NPC session at Kohima.
- 1 December 1957: Naga Hills-Tuensang Area inaugurated.
- 1958: second convention and further consultation.
- 22–26 October 1959: third convention at Mokokchung adopts the Sixteen Points.
- 26 July 1960: agreement reached with the Government of India.
- 1962: constitutional and parliamentary measures for statehood.
- 1 December 1963: Nagaland inaugurated as the sixteenth state.
NPSC Prelims and Mains Approach
Prelims questions often test the president, locations and sequence of the three conventions. For Mains, explain why the NPC arose, how consultation produced the Sixteen Points, and why statehood remained an incomplete answer to the political conflict.
Continue with the Sixteen-Point Agreement and the formation of Nagaland State. All connected subjects are arranged on the Nagaland PSC Notes page. The Nagaland PSC Foundation Course 2026–2027 covers the complete NPSC syllabus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was the president of the Naga People’s Convention?
Dr Imkongliba Ao presided over the Convention and led the statehood negotiations.
What was the first major achievement of the NPC?
Its first major achievement was the creation of the Naga Hills-Tuensang Area on 1 December 1957.
Did the NNC support the NPC agreement?
No. The NNC and underground groups did not accept the Sixteen-Point Agreement as a final settlement.