Chakma Students Union demands Amit Shah to waive residential proof for defence jobs

The Arunachal Pradesh Chakma Students’ Union (APCSU) has submitted an urgent appeal to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting a waiver of the Residential Proof Certificate (RPC) requirement for Chakma and Hajong youth aspiring to join the Indian Army and paramilitary forces.

In a letter dated July 23, APCSU expressed deep concern over what it called a “critical issue affecting the future of our students and youth in Arunachal Pradesh.” The Union is urging the Ministry of Home Affairs to accept alternative documents in place of RPCs, which the state government has stopped issuing since October 2022.

The letter highlights that the Chakma and Hajong communities were resettled in Arunachal Pradesh by the Government of India between 1964 and 1969 after fleeing religious persecution and displacement due to the construction of the Kaptai Dam in then-East Pakistan. Today, the population of these communities is estimated to be around 65,000, with over 90% being Indian citizens by birth.

“These communities have faced systemic discrimination over decades, especially in access to state employment,” the letter reads. “Many of our youth seek to serve the nation in the Indian Army and Central Armed Police Forces. They have the qualifications and the dedication, but are now blocked simply because they cannot produce a document the state has arbitrarily stopped issuing.”

According to APCSU, the ban on issuing RPCs was enforced by the Arunachal Pradesh government in 2022 under pressure from the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU). The certificate, however, remains a key eligibility criterion for recruitment in defence and paramilitary services, as well as admission into higher educational institutions.

The student union has attached a copy of the state government’s cancellation order dated October 27, 2022, as annexure to the letter. It further urged the Union Home Minister to intervene personally, stressing the need for justice and equal opportunity for Chakma and Hajong youth.

With this appeal, APCSU has added its voice to growing concerns over the treatment of the Chakma and Hajong communities in Arunachal Pradesh, as debates over their citizenship rights, employment access, and dignity continue to spark contention in the region.