The controversy surrounding the alleged backdoor induction into the IAS cadre, as exposed by CANSSEA, FONSESA, NF&ASA, NSSA and NIDA, is appalling but hardly surprising. What is unfolding in Nagaland today is not an isolated case but the natural outcome of a culture where backdoor opportunities have long been normalized.
For decades, appointments in government service have often been less about merit and more about connections. From fourth-grade employees to IAS officers and everything in between, the backdoor has become the preferred entry point. It is reported that even in the case of two-wheeler taxi permits, interviews were reduced to eyewash while the allotments had already been decided elsewhere. When such practices permeate everyday governance, it is no wonder that even something as prestigious as induction into the IAS is vulnerable.
What makes the situation deeply troubling is how society has come to accept it. Even faith leaders have secured government jobs for their spouses or relatives through the backdoor, leading many in the community to believe such appointments are a divine blessing. This moral justification only reinforces the problem. When corruption is cloaked in spirituality or community obligation, it becomes harder to challenge, and those who speak out against the normalization of backdoor employment are often seen as lacking intelligence or being inimical to societal norms.
The consequences are visible everywhere. Some who entered through the backdoor have completed full service and now draw lifelong pensions. Others occupy seats as departmental or institutional heads, wielding authority that was never earned through competition or merit. This entrenched system has left generations of deserving youths disillusioned, watching opportunities pass them by because they lacked the right patronage.
The IAS induction row is therefore not just about a single backdoor appointment. It reflects a society where merit is constantly undermined and governance is treated as a privilege rather than a responsibility. The fact that service associations have had to launch campaigns in the state capital against the system exposes the severity of the trust deficit between the government and its own employees. Ultimately, it is the people who are victimized, as the government exists to serve them.
If Nagaland is to move forward, it must confront this backdoor culture head-on. Merit must be the guiding principle of public service. Anything less will deepen cynicism, weaken institutions, and perpetuate the cycle of corruption that has already inflicted lasting damage.