Backdoor entry undermines meritocracy, say service associations in joint statement
A group of key service associations in Nagaland has accused the state government of “manipulating” the induction process into the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) to allegedly favour officers who entered the system through the backdoor. In a strongly-worded joint statement issued by the Core-Committee for Non-SCS IAS Induction, the Office of the Confederation of All Nagaland State Service Employees’ Association (CANSSEA), Federation of Nagaland State Engineering Service Association (FONSESA), Nagaland Secretariat Services Association (NSSA), and Nagaland Finance & Accounts Services Association (NF&ASA) said the move threatens the “very integrity of governance” in the state.
At the centre of the controversy is a circular issued by the State Government inviting applications for induction into one vacant IAS post from non-State Civil Services (non-SCS) officers. The application window was open for 15 days, during which 10 candidates reportedly applied. But in a sudden reversal, the government revoked the circular just a day after the deadline and proceeded to amend the eligibility criteria—most significantly, removing the fourth criterion that upheld merit-based consideration.
The associations say this removal was carried out under the guise of adhering to the IAS (Recruitment) Rules, 1954 and IAS (Appointment by Selection) Regulations, 1997, but allege that the move was “a strategic manipulation to accommodate backdoor appointees—officers who entered service without going through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC).”
“In an era where meritocracy should be the cornerstone of governance, this action undermines transparency and fairness. It opens the IAS—the premier civil service of the country—to those who have bypassed competitive, merit-based recruitment,” the joint statement reads.
While the central recruitment rules do provide states with some flexibility, the associations argue that these should be used to strengthen, not dilute, transparency. They cite a 2018 representation by the Nagaland Civil Service Association (NCSA), which led to government circulars mandating that IAS induction be limited to officers appointed through the NPSC. “This was seen as a step toward transparency and fairness,” the associations say, calling the recent reversal “a dangerous precedent.”
“This is not just only a procedural issue, it’s about the very integrity of our governance. If the entry into the IAS can be manipulated, then no aspect of the system is safe from nepotism.”
Repeated representations made to the State Government by the associations have gone unanswered, except for what they describe as a “generic reply” stating that the process will continue under the aforementioned central rules—without addressing calls for stricter eligibility norms.
“The youth of Nagaland are striving for a system that rewards merit. This action by the State Government flies in the face of that struggle and institutionalizes nepotism,” the statement adds.
The associations have demanded that the government immediately reverse its decision, reinstate merit-based criteria, and cancel any steps taken to favour non-meritorious entrants into the IAS cadre. Failing this, they warned of “appropriate democratic means of protest and legal recourse.”
The statement has been issued by the Media Cell of the Core-Committee for Non-SCS IAS Induction.
The associations demand an immediate correction of this misstep. They urge the Government to reinstate strict merit-based eligibility criteria and cancel all actions taken to favor non-meritorious entrants. Failing which, they reserve the right to pursue appropriate democratic means of protest and legal recourse.
