The Konyak Students’ Union (KSU) has issued a strong call for a comprehensive review of the Nagaland State Reservation Policy, advocating for a population-based system that ensures equitable representation of all tribal communities in public sector employment and education.
In a statement, the Union expressed concern over what it described as “systematic disparity” in the implementation of the reservation policy over the last 48 years, particularly highlighting the socio-economic and educational challenges faced by the Konyak community. According to KSU, the current structure has failed to uplift historically marginalized groups such as the Konyaks, despite the constitutional objective of affirmative action.
“With a population exceeding 2.5 lakh—around 12% of Nagaland’s tribal demographic—the employment figure of the Konyak tribe in government services remains significantly low,” the statement said, citing the 2019 report by the Department of Economics and Statistics.
“We have not just villages, but entire ranges and even Assembly Constituencies without a single NPSC-recruited Class I Gazetted Officer to this day,” it added.
The KSU also referred to the 2011 Census, which recorded Mon District as having the lowest literacy rate in the state at 56.60%, stating that educational deprivation coupled with poor representation in public employment has deepened the marginalization of the community.
Despite submitting several representations to the state government in the past, the Union claimed that no concrete steps have been taken to address their concerns. “The Union has submitted several representations in the past appealing to the state government for immediate review of the reservation system; however, there has been no positive response till date,” it said.
In light of these issues, the KSU has aligned itself with the Five Tribes Committee on Review of Reservation Policy (CoRRP), endorsing its demand for a comprehensive review. The Union strongly advocated for a population-based reservation model that considers demographic proportions as the basis for quota allocation, arguing that such a system would lead to fairer representation of disadvantaged communities.
“The reservation system is intended to provide a level playing field for marginalized communities, as they cannot compete with the advanced sections who have had more access to resources and means for social progress and development in the past and present,” the Union stated.
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