Kohima, July 20 (MExN): The All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) on Monday served a three-day ultimatum to the state Department of Higher Education to initiate the release of pending Post-Matric Scholarship (PMS-ST) for the academic year 2025-26 to all eligible beneficiaries, warning of democratic agitation if the demand is not met. In a letter to the Ex-Officio Director of Higher Education, the union expressed “strongest displeasure” over the continued delay in scholarship disbursement, which it said has caused “immense hardship” to thousands of deserving students across the state. The ANCSU also condemned the department for allegedly misleading both the union officials and the student community with repeated assurances that the scholarship would be released from July 18, 2026, assurances that the union claimed failed to materialise. The ANCSU further demanded that the Higher Education Minister intervene urgently to uphold his responsibility and avoid forcing students into an “avoidable course of democratic protest.” Meanwhile, the union appealed to all students to refrain from participating in any agitation and remain calm, stating it would initiate protest if the concerned department fails to initiate the payment within the three-day deadline.