Nagaland JCC decides to continue pen-down strike; gives 3-day window for dialogue

The Joint Coordination Committee (JCC)- comprising CANSSEA, FONSESA, NIDA, NSSA, and NF&ASA- has decided to continue its ongoing pen-down strike while offering a three-day window for dialogue, provided such talks facilitate acceptance of its core demands.
In a circular issued on Thursday, the Committee stated that a meeting was held on October 30 with the chief secretary, Administrative Heads of Departments, members of JCC, and office bearers of service associations at the invitation of the office of the chief secretary.
The meeting, JCC said, was convened on the advice of the cabinet to explore a “workable dialogue” to address its core demands– withdrawal of the non-NPSC candidate from the panel list and restoration of the vacancy circular of March 10, 2025.
However, JCC maintained that its demands, which uphold meritocracy, were “non-negotiable and non-bargainable.”
It asserted that any dialogue falling short of these demands would be unacceptable unless it directly facilitated their fulfillment.
The committee stated that both the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), upon receiving representations from the Joint Coordination Committee, had responded by placing the onus of resolving the issue upon the state government.
“The ball is now in the court of the State government, and any act of omission or commission rests solely upon the decision of the state government,” JCC said, adding that neither the DoPT nor UPSC could be blamed anymore.
It emphasized that the State government must take the legal and morally right decision.
Under such a scenario, JCC said it had resolved to continue the pen-down strike until its demands are met but expressed appreciation for the government’s offer of dialogue, provided it addresses their core demands.
Hence, Joint Coordination Committee decided that along with the ongoing pen-down strike, a window of three working days till November 3, 2025, has been offered for any dialogue facilitating their demands.