The Government of Nagaland wants to review in total the controversial job reservation policy in Nagaland, but only after confirming the final data of the state’s 2011 population census. While the ‘process’ of review is yet to start, a highly-placed government leader reiterated what he said in June this year, that the government is considering total review of the job reservation – a policy that has Naga communities seething in resentment.
The existing reservation policy for “backward tribes” instated in 2008 gives 25% job reservation to six tribes from Tuensang, Mon, Longleng and Kiphire district while the Chakhesang, Pochury and the Zeliang have 8% job reservation in government departments. The government later “enhanced” the reservation for the latter three tribes, giving 2%. On grounds that the policy is unjustified and discriminative, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) and a number of other tribes continue to demand for total review.
Chief Secretary of Nagaland Lalthara, IAS, said in June earlier that the policy is in for a review once the 2011 Census is ‘finalized.’ He said the 2011 census is only a provisional data and the completed, concrete data of the population has yet to be received. Once the complete population is ‘finalized’ the government can review the reservation policy in total. At the time of the interaction, in June, he had said that the census data should be ‘finalized’ in about the next two months later.
The chief administrator of the state reiterated the statement tonight in an interaction with The Morung Express. “We can go for a review. At the moment the reservation is not based on population and there is no idea (whether to increase or decrease the reservation),” the chief secretary said.
He also recalled a recent Cabinet decision that the policy would be reviewed after 5 years. “For this, the exercise shall commence right after the 2011 census is published by appointing a new job reservation committee,” the government notification issued in February 2011informing of the Cabinet’s decision, had stated.
‘If the census figures dictate, according to areas and population, increase or decrease, the policy may be reviewed but after careful examination and study of criteria and factors such as educational background, economic and population and areas,’ Lalthara had stated.
The official said the state government has yet to actually commence the process of reviewing the policy but it is expected. The exercise however, he said, entails wide consultation, and garnering views from all sections of the state’s population. “Public perception is very important, he said. “We have to take the public’s view to go for the total review.”
Lalthara also discussed ambiguities and ‘drawbacks’ in the policy. For instance, the chief secretary said, there is no real competition in Nagaland because of the dependence on the reserved quotas for each community.
A candidate may only have to fill the post by virtue of being assured a place through the reservation given to his tribe or community but not necessarily by hard merit and performance, the official implied.
Further, the policy also often brings up conflict over questions of merit and privilege. For instance, Lalthara explained, the dilemma of whether to give a seat to a candidate in his tribe’s reserved quota when he had already qualified by merit.
The existing reservation policy for “backward tribes” instated in 2008 gives 25% job reservation to six tribes from Tuensang, Mon, Longleng and Kiphire district while the Chakhesang, Pochury and the Zeliang have 8% job reservation in government departments. The government later “enhanced” the reservation for the latter three tribes, giving 2%. On grounds that the policy is unjustified and discriminative, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) and a number of other tribes continue to demand for total review.
Chief Secretary of Nagaland Lalthara, IAS, said in June earlier that the policy is in for a review once the 2011 Census is ‘finalized.’ He said the 2011 census is only a provisional data and the completed, concrete data of the population has yet to be received. Once the complete population is ‘finalized’ the government can review the reservation policy in total. At the time of the interaction, in June, he had said that the census data should be ‘finalized’ in about the next two months later.
The chief administrator of the state reiterated the statement tonight in an interaction with The Morung Express. “We can go for a review. At the moment the reservation is not based on population and there is no idea (whether to increase or decrease the reservation),” the chief secretary said.
He also recalled a recent Cabinet decision that the policy would be reviewed after 5 years. “For this, the exercise shall commence right after the 2011 census is published by appointing a new job reservation committee,” the government notification issued in February 2011informing of the Cabinet’s decision, had stated.
‘If the census figures dictate, according to areas and population, increase or decrease, the policy may be reviewed but after careful examination and study of criteria and factors such as educational background, economic and population and areas,’ Lalthara had stated.
The official said the state government has yet to actually commence the process of reviewing the policy but it is expected. The exercise however, he said, entails wide consultation, and garnering views from all sections of the state’s population. “Public perception is very important, he said. “We have to take the public’s view to go for the total review.”
Lalthara also discussed ambiguities and ‘drawbacks’ in the policy. For instance, the chief secretary said, there is no real competition in Nagaland because of the dependence on the reserved quotas for each community.
A candidate may only have to fill the post by virtue of being assured a place through the reservation given to his tribe or community but not necessarily by hard merit and performance, the official implied.
Further, the policy also often brings up conflict over questions of merit and privilege. For instance, Lalthara explained, the dilemma of whether to give a seat to a candidate in his tribe’s reserved quota when he had already qualified by merit.
