KOHIMA, NOVEMBER 1 (MExN): The Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of service associations in Nagaland on Saturday claimed that a Right to Information (RTI) reply has confirmed the inclusion of a non-NPSC-recruited officer in the panel for induction into the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), alleging a “deliberate deviation” from established merit-based norms.
The JCC, comprising CANSSEA, NSSA, NF&ASA, NIDA and FONSESA, has been staging a black badge protest since September 24 and a pen-down strike since October 14 over what it terms an attempt to “facilitate a backdoor entry into the IAS.”
According to the RTI data made public by the committee, five officers were recommended in the panel list for IAS induction under the non-State Civil Service quota, of whom four had entered service through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC). The fifth officer, it said, was appointed on a contract basis against a study-leave vacancy and not recruited through the NPSC.
The JCC alleged that the state government withdrew a March 10, 2025 vacancy circular, which had mandated NPSC recruitment as a prerequisite, and subsequently issued a revised April 24 circular “to accommodate one particular candidate.” It said this amounted to “partisanship and dilution of meritocracy.”
The committee maintained that the earlier circular, approved by the Cabinet and consistent with past practice, had strengthened transparency in line with IAS recruitment rules and Supreme Court principles allowing executive clarification to fill regulatory gaps.
Reiterating its demands, the JCC sought cancellation of the current panel and restoration of the March 10 circular “in toto.” It said it was not targeting any individual but protecting “merit, moral and procedural propriety” in state administration.
The JCC added that it had communicated its position to the government through the Cabinet sub-committee and would continue its agitation until the “flawed process” is rectified.
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