Guwahati: The Arunachal Pradesh government has formally notified uniform eligibility criteria for direct recruitment to posts and services under the state government, following the Cabinet’s decision earlier this month.

The notification, issued by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Training on August 26 under the authority of the Governor, makes three conditions mandatory for direct recruitment: a valid Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC) of Arunachal Pradesh, an Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (APST) Certificate, and working knowledge of an Indigenous Tribal Language of the state.

The new provisions apply to state government departments as well as Public Sector Undertakings, autonomous bodies and local and urban bodies.

Candidates must be Indian citizens and inhabitants of Arunachal Pradesh holding a valid PRC. They must also be original inhabitants of the state and possess an APST certificate issued by the competent authority.

The notified criteria also include a language requirement. Candidates are required to be able to speak an Indigenous Tribal Language of Arunachal Pradesh and have working knowledge of the state’s indigenous tribes.

The government has also laid down a mechanism to enforce the language requirement.

Until a formal Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribes Language Proficiency Test is included in the initial competitive examination, selected candidates will have to appear for a mandatory language test after joining service.

The test must be cleared during the probation period or within a stipulated period of three years. Candidates who fail to qualify within the prescribed period will face withholding of annual increments and further promotions until they pass the test in a notified Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled language.

The notification directs the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) and Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB) to immediately incorporate the new eligibility conditions and the post-joining language test provisions into recruitment advertisements and relevant service rules.

The criteria have come into force with immediate effect and cover Group A, Group B, and Group C posts and their equivalent positions.

The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) welcomed the notification, with its president, Meje Taku, describing it as an important step for the indigenous population of the state.

Taku said the notification reflected the union’s longstanding demand and urged recruiting agencies to ensure that the provisions are implemented fully in recruitment exercises.

AAPSU called on APPSC, APSSB and other recruiting authorities to include the mandatory eligibility conditions in all future recruitment advertisements and rules, including recruitment processes already underway.

The student body also warned against any attempt to bypass, dilute or selectively implement the new provisions. Taku said AAPSU would consider intensified agitation if recruiting authorities failed to comply with the government order.

The notification follows the state Cabinet’s decision of August 13, 2026, and provides the formal framework for its implementation.

The order has been circulated to APPSC, APSSB, government departments, heads of departments, deputy commissioners, PSUs, autonomous bodies and local and urban bodies. The Department of Information and Public Relations has also been asked to ensure wider publication of the notification, which has been sent for publication in the Arunachal Pradesh Official Gazette.