The State Government is considering a proposal to revise the recruitment ratio for engineering posts from the existing 60% direct recruitment through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) and 40% promotion to an equal 50:50 distribution, a move that has drawn strong objection from the Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN).
In a representation addressed to the Engineer-in-Chief of the Nagaland Public Works Department (NPWD), CTAN expressed “vehement objection” to the proposed alteration of the Junior Engineer (JE) to Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) recruitment ratio, stating that the move would undermine meritocracy and disrupt the existing cadre structure.
“The proposal to enhance the promotion quota from 40% to 50% at the cost of direct recruitment… is viewed by our Association as a measure that undermines meritocracy, disrupts cadre structure, and runs counter to the established service jurisprudence,” the representation stated.
The association maintained that the existing 60:40 ratio is a “constitutionally recognized framework” designed to balance experienced personnel with the induction of qualified graduates through competitive examinations conducted by the NPSC.
It pointed to departmental data indicating that 95.6% of Junior Engineer recruits in the past five years are B.E./B.Tech. holders, which it said reflects the effectiveness of the current system.
CTAN further argued that reducing the share of direct recruitment would “artificially constrict the direct entry channel,” limiting the number of vacancies notified by the NPSC and potentially inviting litigation on grounds of arbitrariness.
Referring to the Nagaland Engineering Service Rules, 2006, the association noted that earlier reforms had addressed anomalies in career progression, particularly where diploma holders superseded degree holders. It cautioned that increasing the promotion quota at the SDO level could recreate similar issues of stagnation and imbalance.
Highlighting the employment impact, CTAN stated that reducing direct recruitment from 60% to 50% would lead to fewer posts being advertised, prolonging unemployment among engineering graduates and affecting the department’s ability to attract qualified talent.
“The reduction of the direct recruitment share… will inevitably lead to a corresponding reduction in the number of posts advertised by the NPSC,” the representation said, adding that over time, this could affect the quality of higher-level engineering positions and public infrastructure delivery.
The association urged the government to retain the existing recruitment ratio and consider the concerns raised before finalising any decision, stating that any deviation would be “detrimental to the service, contrary to public interest, and legally vulnerable.”