The 5 Tribes Committee on Review of Reservation Policy, representing the Angami Public Organisation, Ao Senden, Lotha Hoho, Rengma Hoho, and Sumi Hoho, has served a 30-day ultimatum on the state government, demanding immediate action on the review of the Nagaland Job Reservation Policy for Backward Tribes.
In a letter addressed to the chief minister, the Committee reminded that a memorandum had been submitted earlier on September 20, 2024, seeking urgent intervention. However, even after six months, the government has failed to act or respond.
The committee expressed dismay that the reservation policy, in effect for the past 47 years, has disproportionately benefited certain tribes, even surpassing many advanced tribes.
They pointed out that the policy, which was meant to be reviewed every 10 years, has continued indefinitely after a government notification in 1989 stated that the “existing policy will continue till further orders.”
The Committee lamented that recommendations made by various government-appointed committees for reviewing the Reservation Policy have largely been kept in cold storage, except for some piecemeal implementation.
Core issues such as the duration of reservation, internal reservation, discrimination arising from multiple benefits and flexible options for backward tribes, creamy layers, discrepancies in entry age, and backlog of reserved posts etc. have been left untouched despite several representations in the past by student bodies of the so-called advanced tribes, it stated.
The Committee cautioned that an indefinite reservation system, left unrevised, poses a serious risk of economic imbalance and discrimination among the Scheduled Tribes in Nagaland, potentially leading to greater inequality and social unrest.
Taking into account these core issues, and in view of the state government’s failure to undertake a comprehensive review and reform of the reservation policy, the Committee stated that it had submitted a memorandum on September 20, 2024, demanding abolishment/scrapping of the Nagaland Job Reservation Policy for Backward Tribes or that the remaining unreserved quota be exclusively reserved for the five tribes, which together constitute nearly 55% of the Scheduled Tribe population in Nagaland.
The Committee said this demand was made to ensure that all tribes receive fair opportunities and that the principles of meritocracy and equality are upheld.
Stating that the state government had failed to address the issues raised in the earlier memorandum, the Committee informed that the five non-backward tribes were now compelled to serve a 30-day ultimatum as a final reminder.
The letter was signed by Er Tesinlo Semy (convenor & Rengma Hoho representative), GK Zhimomi (member secretary & Sumi Hoho representative), Zhatuo Kimho (Angami Public Organisation representative), Limaakum Jamir (Ao Senden representative) and Zuchumo Mozhui (Lotha Hoho representative).