The Five Tribe Committee, representing the Angami Public Organisation, Ao Senden, Lotha Hoho, Rengma Hoho, and Sumi Hoho, has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister of Nagaland, urging immediate action regarding the state’s Job Reservation Policy for Backward Tribes.
In the memorandum, the committee members sought immediate attention and necessary action as they emphasized that the Nagaland Job Reservation Policy for Backward Tribes has been in effect for the past 47 years. The committee noted that during this period, tribes under job reservation have benefited significantly, even surpassing many ‘advanced tribes’.
However, they highlighted that the job reservation policy was intended to be reviewed every ten years, but in 1989, the government notified that the “existing policy will continue till further orders” which is continuing till date.
It also noted 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,” it highlighted.
The committee cautioned that with an indefinite reservation system in place without proper review, it poses a serious risk of economic imbalance and discrimination among the Scheduled Tribes in Nagaland, leading to inequality and social unrest.
“Since the state govt has turned a deaf ear to the interest of non-backward tribes by failing to undertake comprehensive review and reformation of the reservation policy,” the committee demanded either the abolishment or scrapping of Nagaland Job Reservation Policy for Backward Tribes or that the remaining unreserved quota be allocated exclusively for the 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,” it added.
The memorandum was signed by key representatives, including Convenor Er Tesinle Semy from Rengma Hoho, Zhatuo Kimho from Angami Public Organization, Limaakum Jamir from Ao Senden, Zuchumo Mozhui from Lotha Hoho, and Member Secretary GK Zhimomi from Sumi Hoho.