5 tribes warn of stir if quota policy not reviewed

Five tribes committee on review of reservation policy, representing the Angami Public Organisation, Ao Senden, Lotha Hoho, Rengma Hoho, and Sumi Hoho, on Saturday announced its decision to stage peaceful protests if the state government failed to address the demands concerning the Nagaland job reservation policy.
On April 26, 2025, the five tribes committee had served a 30-day ultimatum on the state government demanding immediate action on the review of the Nagaland Job Reservation Policy for Backward Tribes.
Addressing media persons after a consultative meeting held at CPO Hall, Chümoukedima Saturday, committee convenor, Tesinlo Semy, described five tribes committee as “Aggrieved tribes who are not currently enjoying the reservation policy”.
Highlighting about the formation of the committee, Semy said the committee was formed on August 24, 2023, and had submitted a formal representation to the government on September 20, 2023. However, he said there had been no response from the government till date.
In view of the lack of response, Semy said the committee had served a 30-day ultimatum on the state government. As deadline draws near, he said the consultative meeting, which included youth and student bodies of the five tribes, unanimously resolved to launch peaceful protests.
Member secretary of the committee, Captain GK Zhimomi, pointed out that job reservation policy in Nagaland was first introduced in 1977 with an initial duration of 10 years.
In 1987, he said the state government failed to renew it formally, and in 1989, it issued an order for continuation of reservation until further notice.
However, he said that temporary policy has now been in place for 48 years without a single review.
Zhimomi emphasized that various student bodies had previously submitted numerous representations regarding issues, such as internal reservation, policy duration, creamy layer benefits, and multiple benefit recipients. However, he said that the state government remained silent.
On the resolution adopted at the meeting, Zhimomi informed that the committee decided to begin phase-wise agitations, if the government did not act within the stipulated timeframe. On the demands of the committee, he said the committee demands either scrapping of Nagaland Job Reservation Policy for Backward Tribes or remaining unreserved quota be reserved exclusively for the five tribes which constitutes nearly 55% of the Scheduled Tribe population in the state.
Asked how should the state government implement the reservation for the five tribes, he said that it was for the government to determine. Zhimomi, however, clarified that the committee was not against other tribes availing reservation benefits. “Our stand is clear.
The policy has gone unchecked and unrevised for 48 years. It’s time for a fair and rational review,” he asserted.
Responding to recent statements by an elected government representative, who claimed that the matter was under consideration, Zhimomi pointed out contradictions in the government’s communication. He said that on May 14, power minister and official spokesperson of the government, KG Kenye, said that there would be no review until a fresh census was conducted.
Zhimomi pointed that the census had been pending since 2021, and there was no clarity on when it would happen. In this regard, he said that 5 tribes cannot keep waiting indefinitely.
Asked about the plans for phase-wise agitation, he said that first phase of the protest would involve peaceful marches in the district headquarters of all five tribes and second phase may include peaceful dharna at the secretariat. He said that further course of agitation would be made known later.