Meritocracy in Question: Nagaland State Service Bodies Demand Transparency in IAS Induction Process

Six state service organizations of Nagaland, including CANSSEA, FONSESA, NIDA, NSSA, NF&ASA, and NNPSGSEF, have raised serious concerns over what they describe as the Government’s “double standard” regarding meritocracy in IAS induction.

In a statement released today, the Core Committee of these six organizations said that while the Government repeatedly emphasizes meritocracy as the guiding principle for appointments through NPSC and NSSB, “the same Government is wilfully ignoring meritocracy when it comes to the premier IAS induction, the highest post in the country’s civil services.”

The Core Committee posed a set of seven questions to the Government, including why backdoor appointees are being given equal standing with NPSC recruits and what justifies favouring such individuals over those selected through the NPSC. It also questioned the withdrawal of the 10th March Vacancy Circular after the submission deadline, suggesting it may have been done to benefit specific candidates.

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The statement further asked whether Criterion No. 4 of the vacancy circular, which limits eligibility to NPSC recruits, violates the principles of meritocracy outlined in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) guidelines. The Committee urged the Government to publish the full list of applicants, the selection criteria, and the parameters used by the Screening Committee.

The Core Committee concluded by stressing that “the people of Nagaland and the entire State Services community deserve an honest and transparent answer.”

The questions raised by the Core Committee to the government, verbatim, are:

1. Given that meritocracy is the foundation of NPSC recruitments, how can backdoor appointees be accorded equal standing with the NPSC recruits for IAS induction?
2. What is the Government’s justification for favouring backdoor appointees over those recruited through the NPSC?
3. Why was the 10th March Vacancy Circular withdrawn after the last date of submission deadline, only to pave way for specific favoured individual(s)?
4. Is not it malicious and shady that the circular restricting backdoor appointees was withdrawn instead of simply rejecting their applications for failing to meet Criterion no. 4 of the March 10th Vacancy Circular?
5. Does criterion No.4 of the 10th March Vacancy Circular, which limits eligibility to those recruited through NPSC contradict or violate the spirit and principles of Meritocracy in the DOPT Guidelines? If so, how?
6. If the Government is confident of fairness, will it publish the full list of applicants, selection criteria, and the parameters used by the Screening Committee to prepare the select list?
7. Is it not discriminatory that lakhs of aspirants must prove their merit through NPSC, while favoured backdoor appointees can secure even IAS induction through manipulation and favouritism?

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MT