What is Nagalands job quota concern? | Explained

The story to this point: On April 26, an organisation of 5 “superior” tribes in Nagaland set the Neiphiu Rio-led authorities a 30-day deadline to revise the job reservation coverage for the State’s Backward Tribes (BTs). The authorities fashioned a panel on September 22 to look at the job quota coverage, however the five-tribe physique discovered fault with its nomenclature.

What is the job reservation coverage?

Almost 4 years after it attained statehood in December 1963, Nagaland launched a coverage to order 80% of State authorities jobs for all indigenous Scheduled Tribes. The authorities recognized 11 BTs in 1977 and apportioned for them what got here to be referred to as “reservation inside a reservation”. In August 2024, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio informed the 60-member Nagaland Assembly that 37% of non-technical and non-gazetted jobs are at present reserved for BTs. He stated this quota is split into 25% for seven BTs in japanese Nagaland comprising six districts — Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang — and 12% for the remaining 4 BTs. An April 2011 notification from the State’s Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department stated the Chakhesang and Pochury tribes inhabiting Phek district shall be clubbed collectively for half the 12%, whereas the Zeliang tribe could have 4% of presidency jobs reserved for them, and the remaining 2% shall be reserved for the Sumi tribe in Kiphire district. Beyond Kiphire, the Sumis are among the many 5 non-BT communities together with the Angamis, Aos, Lothas, and Rengmas.

Why do the tribes need this coverage revised?

In September 2024, the Five Tribes Committee on Review of Reservation Policy (CoRRP) submitted a memorandum to the State authorities, requesting an evaluation of the job quota system. The members of this committee are representatives of the apex social our bodies of every of those 5 tribes. The committee argued that the coverage was related in 1977, but it surely not displays the prevailing socio-economic and academic panorama of the State. Its secretary, G.Ok. Zhimomi, stated that the CoRRP’s core demand was to “both scrap the reservation coverage altogether or allocate the remaining unreserved (20%) quota to the 5 tribes.” He additionally stated the federal government went again on a transfer to assessment the coverage in 1987 and issued an order two years later, stating that the quota slabs would proceed till additional discover. The CoRRP set its first 30-day deadline on April 26 for the federal government to behave on its demand for a assessment. “We will not be towards any tribe benefiting from the reservation coverage. A assessment of this 48-year-old coverage is lengthy overdue due to the vastly totally different situation now,” they stated.

How did the federal government reply?

Reacting to the CoRRP’s demand, scholar and social organisations of the BTs listed as beneficiaries of the job quota opposed any potential revision, arguing that the dilution of the present coverage would disproportionately hurt the State’s marginalised communities. Wary of a backlash from these tribes, the federal government selected to tread rigorously. The CoRRP launched its preliminary part of agitation after the expiry of its 30-day ultimatum. It was suspended after Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton assured them {that a} fee to assessment the coverage could be constituted by June 17. However, Mr. Rio remarked that any important administrative reforms, together with these associated to reservations or delimitation, ought to be undertaken solely after the nationwide Census train scheduled for 2027. On August 6, the State Cabinet accredited the structure of a seven-member Job Reservation Commission to be headed by a retired IAS officer of the Nagaland cadre. The following day, authorities spokesperson and Minister Ok.G. Kenye cited official information to say that the 5 non-BT tribes maintain 64% of the federal government jobs whereas the BT tribes maintain 34%. He indicated that the established order wanted to be maintained.

Why does the stalemate proceed?

The CoRRP criticised the primary fee introduced in August because it accommodated a member every from the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation, the Central Nagaland Tribes Council, and the Tenyimi Union Nagaland. They insisted that this fee lacked neutrality as these three organisations represented the BTs wholly or partially. The CoRRP additionally discovered fault with the second fee the federal government introduced on September 22. They stated that the federal government deviated from an settlement to call this panel ‘Job Reservation Commission’ as a substitute of ‘Reservation Review Commission’, thus implying it was not severe about reviewing the prevailing quota system. The distinction over the panel’s nomenclature is but to be resolved.