Kohima: Five major tribes in Nagaland has submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, seeking the abolishment or reformation of the Nagaland job reservation policy for Backward Tribes, which has been in effect for the past 47 years.
Representing the Angami Public Organisation, Ao Senden, Lotha Hoho, Rengma Hoho, and Sumi Hoho, the committee highlighted concerns over economic imbalance and discrimination due to the indefinite continuation of the policy without proper review.
The memorandum emphasised that the policy was intended to be reviewed every ten years but has remained unchanged since 1989, despite multiple recommendations and representations by various committees and student bodies.
The memorandum noted that while the reservation system has significantly benefited tribes under reservation, it has also led to disparities, with the so-called “advanced tribes” feeling marginalised.
It called for a fairer distribution of opportunities, suggesting that if the policy is not scrapped, the remaining unreserved quota should be reserved exclusively for the five tribes constituting nearly 55% of the Scheduled Tribe population in Nagaland.
They pointed out that the recommendations of various Committees for review of Reservation Policy set up by the state government in the past have been kept in cold storage except for some piecemeal implementation.
“Core issues like duration of reservation, internal reservation, discrimination arising out of multiple benefits & flexible options for BT’s, creamy layers, discrepancies in entry age, backlog reserved posts etc., have been left untouched despite several representations in the past by student bodies of (so-called) advanced tribes,” the apex organisations of the five tribes said.
They argued that without proper review of an indefinite reservation system in place, the policy in its present form poses a serious risk of economic imbalance and discrimination among the Scheduled Tribes in Nagaland, leading to inequality and social unrest.
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“Taking all these core issues into consideration and since the state government has turned a deaf ear to the interest of non-backward tribes by failing to undertake comprehensive review and reformation of the reservation policy, we submit this Memorandum demanding abolishment/scrapping of Nagaland Job Reservation Policy for Backward Tribes, or that the remaining unreserved quota be reserved exclusively for five tribes which constitute nearly 55% of the Scheduled Tribe population in Nagaland, if not more. This is to ensure that all tribes receive fair opportunities and that the principles of meritocracy and equality are upheld,” they maintained.
The memorandum was signed by representatives of the five tribes: Er Tesinle Semy (Rengma Hoho), Zhátuo Kimho (Angami Public Organisation), Limaakum Jamir (Ao Senden), and Zuchumo Mozhui (Lotha Hoho).
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