Nagaland forms job reservation commission to review decades-old reservation policy

The Nagaland government has established a Job Reservation Commission to examine and overhaul the state's reservation policy for government jobs, with a mandate to ensure fair representation of all tribes in public employment.

The commission, constituted on September 22, will be chaired by retired IAS officer R Ramakrishnan and includes heads of key departments, including Home, Law & Justice, Higher and Technical Education, and Personnel & Administrative Reforms.

The panel has been tasked with a comprehensive review of existing reservation policies and their impact on tribal representation in government positions. "To examine the existing job Reservation Policy in the State and its impact on representation of various categories in Government employment," states one of the commission's primary terms of reference.

A significant aspect of the commission's work will involve extensive consultations with apex tribal bodies, student organisations, and employee associations to gather ground-level perspectives on equitable policy implementation.

The commission will also develop new criteria for determining which tribes should qualify for reservation benefits and establish the overall percentage of reserved positions. It has been empowered to access all government records and summon officials for briefings on matters related to its mandate.

One of the commission's key responsibilities is to examine "the extent to which reservations in the Government employment may address the defined backwardness of a tribe and the period for such reservations," indicating a focus on time-bound, need-based reservations.

The panel will also address implementation gaps in current policies and suggest technological interventions to create a "robust, error free and fool proof" monitoring mechanism for reservation policies.

The commission has been given six months to submit its comprehensive report with recommendations for government consideration. The Home Department will provide office space and secretarial support, while the Finance Department will allocate necessary budget for the commission's operations.