Arunachal Cabinet scraps 20 per cent non-APST quota under new framework

The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has approved changes to the state’s reservation framework for technical education and key administrative appointments. The State Cabinet has quashed the 20 per cent quota earlier reserved for non-APST candidates in diploma and allied technical courses, de-reserving these seats under an open merit category while retaining 80 per cent exclusively for APST candidates.

Under the amended reservation policy for allotment of Diploma, PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics), PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), and allied seats, the 20 per cent quota previously earmarked for non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (Non-APST) candidates will now be thrown open to all eligible aspirants strictly on the basis of merit and category norms.

Officials said the decision is intended to ensure equal opportunity and transparency in the selection process, allowing the most deserving candidates to secure admission in the open category, while safeguarding the constitutionally protected 80 per cent reservation for APST candidates.

The move is being viewed as a structural correction in the state’s education policy, balancing social safeguards with meritocratic access.

The Cabinet maintained that the reforms are designed to usher in long-term improvements in governance standards, transparency mechanisms, and academic quality across schools and higher education institutions in Arunachal Pradesh.

In a separate administrative decision, the Cabinet approved a one-time relaxation under Column 11 of the Recruitment Rules, 2014, for the post of Superintending Engineer in the Department of Power. The relaxation has been granted to address pressing administrative requirements and ensure continuity in key infrastructure and power sector operations.

Sources indicated that the decision was taken in view of urgent departmental needs, while maintaining adherence to broader service norms and procedural integrity.