Nagaland govt urges five tribes not to hold protest
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The committee has been advocating for the withdrawal of a job reservation policy introduced in 1977 for seven backward tribes, which was originally intended for a 10-year term but remains in effect 48 years later. They propose either scrapping the policy or reserving the remaining unreserved quota exclusively for the five tribes of Sumi, Ao, Lotha, Angami, and Rengma.
In response to the planned sit-in at the Nagaland civil secretariat, the chief secretary's office issued a statement noting that the issue was discussed in a June 3 meeting chaired by deputy chief minister Y Patton.
The meeting included representatives from tribes committee and apex tribal bodies of the five groups.
It was conveyed during the meeting that the matter would be placed before the state cabinet for deliberation. On June 12, the cabinet decided in principle to set up a commission to review the reservation policy in govt employment.
The personnel & administrative reforms department has since begun follow-up action on the cabinet's directive.
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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
Scrap or modify? Debate grows over Nagaland internal ST quota policy
With an agitation pushing for ending reservations for 'backward tribes' on one side and a demand to increase the quantum of this quota on the other, Nagaland's nearly five-decade old reservation policy has become the centre of a debate in the state. This week, the Committee on Review of Reservation Policy (CORRP), a grouping of five tribes in Nagaland, resumed its protest to push for a review of the reservation policy, which provides for an internal quota within the broader ST category for 'Indigenous Scheduled Tribes of Nagaland' in government jobs and reserves 37% of posts for tribes identified as 'backward tribes'. The CORRP comprises representatives from the apex bodies of five groups that have come to be called 'advanced tribes': Ao, Angami, Sumi, Lotha and Rengma. In response to pressure from the CORRP, which has been building up since September last year, the Nagaland government had in March convened a meeting with different stakeholders. Following this, Cabinet minister Neiba Kronu said the government has decided to review the policy. Two months later, Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton met with the CORRP and said the Cabinet would deliberate on whether a commission on this matter would be set up. However, there is a roadblock. The stand of the government, which was expressed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio in the state Assembly last year and in a statement last week, is that a review of the reservation policy is only possible after the long-pending national Census is completed. Saying that the government wants to avoid 'temporary arrangements' in connection with reservations, Rio told reporters last week: 'For any reform in administration or backward reservation or delimitation, it should come after the conduct of the Census.' There are 14 recognized Naga tribes in Nagaland, and the Scheduled Tribes in the state also include 'Indigenous' Garo, Mikir, Kuki and Kachari groups. The Nagaland government had first introduced reservation for STs of the state in the Nagaland State Services in 1967. The quantum for this was fixed at 80% of vacancies in the Nagaland State Services and 100% of non-technical Grade-III and IV posts. The element of internal reservations within this reservation was introduced in 1977. Through an order then, 25% of these reserved vacancies were reserved for seven tribes – Konyak, Chakhesang, Sangtam, Phom, Chang, Yimchunger and Khiamunuingan – citing economic backwardness and 'insignificant representation in the services'. The 1977 order had laid down a timeline of 10 years for these additional reservations. However, in 1989, through another order, the Nagaland government directed that the reservation policy would continue 'until further orders'. After several changes in the quantum of the reservations for 'backward tribes' and the list of tribes entitled to it, the present reservation stands at 25% of all posts under the Government of Nagaland for six tribes from Eastern Nagaland districts – Konyak, Phom, Sangtam, Yimchunger, Chang and Khiamniungan – and another 12% for the Chakhesang, Pochury, Zeliang tribes and the Sumis from Kiphire district. Now, the other tribes are saying that the reservation policy for backward tribes be entirely scrapped or that the remaining posts be reserved exclusively for them. 'This policy was supposed to be there for 10 years, but it has been there for 48 years. In the past 48 years, there have been six review committees that made various recommendations, one of which was that Chakhesang and Zeliang tribes be removed from the backward tribes list as they have made considerable advancement. But neither were these implemented nor were the other tribes ever included in these discussions,' said G K Zhimomi, the member secretary of CORRP. Zhimomi said the disparity in Nagaland was 'economic' — not because of a rigid social system like the caste system — and called for a policy better suited for Nagaland. He also pitched for a 'creamy layer' system as it exists for OBC reservation. Creamy layer is a concept that sets a threshold within which OBC reservation benefits are applicable. While there is a 27% quota for OBCs in government jobs and higher educational institutions, those falling within the 'creamy layer' cannot get the benefits of this quota. Not just the CORRP, calls for a review of the reservation policy have come from different quarters including the Naga Students' Federation and its lone Lok Sabha MP Congress leader Supongmeren Jamir. There is also a demand from another quarter: organisations representing tribes from Eastern Nagaland, which have for years been demanding that the backward tribes reservation for the seven tribes from the region be increased to 45%. The six eastern districts of the state have historically lagged behind in development indices, a regional disparity that was also flagged in the 2016 Nagaland State Human Development Report. 'We are waiting for the government to take a call on this issue but we believe it should be reviewed and that there should be an enhancement (of ST internal quota) for Eastern Nagaland areas. The current policy is not doing justice. Even though it has been in place for so many years, it has been on paper. It does not reflect in the offices where these figures are not being met,' said Eastern Naga Students Federation President Nuheymong.
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Economic Times
Nagaland tribes demand review, reallocation of job quotas
Synopsis Organizations protested in Kohima, Nagaland, urging a review of the state's job reservation policy, which has been in place since 1977. The 5-Tribes Committee on Review of Reservation Policy demanded either the policy's abolishment or the reallocation of unfilled reserved positions to the Ao, Angami, Lotha, Rengma, and Sumi tribes. Agencies Several organisations staged a protest outside the Nagaland Civil Secretariat in Kohima demanding a review of the state's job reservation the banner of the 5-Tribes Committee on Review of Reservation Policy (CoRRP), the demonstrators demanded that the existing job reservation policy which has been in effect since 1977 either be scrapped, or the unfilled reserved positions be reallocated specifically to the five major tribes. The CoRRP comprises five Naga tribe organisations -- the Angami Public Organisation, the Ao Senden, the Lotha Hoha, the Rengma Hoho, and the Sumi Hohoon -- representing the five major tribal communities of Ao, Angami, Lotha, Rengma and convenor Tesinlo Semy said they had, in September 2024, submitted a memorandum to the state government demanding either a complete scrapping of the 48-year-old policy or the reallocation of the unreserved quota to these tribes.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Nagaland Reservation Policy: 5 major tribes hold sit-in-protest
Kohima, Thousands of tribal people attired in traditional dresses on Wednesday staged a protest outside the Nagaland Civil Secretariat here demanding a review of the reservation policy. Nagaland Reservation Policy: 5 major tribes hold sit-in-protest The agitators belonging to five major tribes - Ao, Angami, Lotha, Rengma and Sumi - community came together under the banner of 5 Tribes Committee on Review of Reservation Policy and demanded either the scrapping of the current job reservation policy, which is in effect since 1977, or to reallocate the unfilled reserved positions specifically to these five major tribes. The protestors held banners and placards some of which read "We protest against 48 years of indefinite reservation policy", "Backward Tribe reservation without minimum cut-off marks is a mockery of the system", "BT reservation in 48 years has outlived its intended purpose", "48 years of patience on BT reservation has become unbearable". CoRRP argued the policy is outdated and oppressive, calling for its repeal or redistribution of unutilised quotas to the five tribes. The Nagaland government on Tuesday appealed to the committee to call off the strike, stating the matter was already under institutional review. The government had also informed that the state cabinet would hold a meeting and take a decision on the matter once the chief minister, who is currently out of station, is back. However, rejecting the government's appeal, the CoRRP decided to go ahead with a one-day agitation. The push to review Nagaland's reservation policy intensified after the five major tribal apex bodies – Angami, Ao, Lotha, Rengma and Sumi, under the banner of the '5-Tribe CoRRP' submitted a joint memorandum to the state government. They argued that the policy, which has been in place since 1977, no longer reflects the current socio-economic and educational realities of the various communities in the state. Following sustained public pressure, including a large rally held in Kohima and other districts inhabited by the five tribes, during a meeting convened by Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton on June 3, the government assured them that a Commission would be constituted by June 17. However, on July 2, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio while appealing for public patience had said the Commission's task is "very detailed" and cannot deliver immediate results. He also stated that any reforms – be it in administration, reservations, or delimitations should be carried out only after the national census, which is expected to begin in 2027. Frustrated by the state government's silence and lack of progress on the matter, CoRRP on July 3 declared to hold a sit-in protest. Initially, 25 per cent reservation was allocated for seven tribes in non-technical and non-gazetted posts for a period of 10 years. These tribes were designated as 'backward' based on educational and economic disadvantages, and limited representation in state services. Over the years, the reservation has increased to 37 per cent, comprising 25 per cent for seven Eastern Nagaland Backward Tribes and 12 per cent for four other backward tribes of the state. CoRRP has signaled potential escalation if the government does not take concrete action on forming and empowering the commission. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
