Arunachal Frontier Tribal Front launches movement to scrap 80:20 job reservation ratio

A fresh debate over employment rights in Arunachal Pradesh has gathered momentum with the Arunachal Frontier Tribal Front (AFTF) launching a statewide movement demanding the complete scrapping of the 80:20 job reservation ratio in government recruitment.

The campaign was launched through an Awareness-cum-Signature Campaign held at the Tennis Court of Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar, led by AFTF chairman Tadak Nalo. The campaign seeks to mobilise public support for restructuring the existing recruitment policy, which currently reserves 80 per cent of government jobs for Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribes (APST), while keeping 20 per cent open to non-tribal candidates.

Addressing supporters, Nalo asserted that the existing policy has adversely impacted indigenous youths, particularly at a time when unemployment levels in the state remain high. He said the AFTF is demanding 100 per cent reservation for indigenous residents, proposing that Scheduled Tribe (ST) status and Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) be made mandatory for all recruitments conducted by the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) and the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB).

The AFTF leadership argued that several neighbouring Northeastern states have already adopted stricter domicile-based recruitment frameworks, prioritising local communities in government employment. According to the party, Arunachal Pradesh, being a predominantly tribal state, must follow a similar model to safeguard its demographic identity and employment prospects.

The campaign marks the first phase of what the AFTF has termed the “Pan Arunachal Movement”, aimed at protecting the rights, identity, and future of the state’s indigenous population.

Renowned anti-dam activist Ebo Mili, speaking to India Today, expressed support for the demand while clarifying that the movement is not directed against outsiders. “We are not against anyone,” Mili said. “But sons of the soil must come first, as seen in states like Nagaland, Mizoram, and Manipur. Arunachal is a purely tribal state, and with unemployment at alarming levels, tribal youths should be prioritised in all jobs.”