The Nagaland government had decided to review the existing reservation policy on government services as no policy is perfect and needs to evolve with time.
Minister for planning and coordination and land revenue Neiba Kronu said this at a consultative meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee Working Group on Reservation in Government Services with civil society organisations of the State in Kohima on Friday.
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Kronu said in August 2019, a review committee on job reservation policy was constituted under the chairmanship of additional chief secretary and development commissioner Sentiyanger Imchen.
He said the State Cabinet, in its meeting on March 2, 2020, decided to reconstitute the committee to review the existing reservation policy of the State.
He added that the new committee is yet to submit its report to the Cabinet Sub-Committee.
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Kronu said the issue of reservation in government services was deliberated by various committees like Banuo Jamir Committee, Kevichusa Committee, Temjen Toy Committee etc in the past.
While reservation for indigenous Nagas was introduced in 1967, the reservation policy for backward tribes has been in existence since 1977, he stated.
Over the last 44 years of its implementation in the State, the reservation policy has undergone several changes, he said.
Kronu said the State government had decided to set up the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB) through a notification on July 20, 2020.
However, due to various grievances voiced about its composition and scope, the NSSB was kept on hold by the Cabinet and it has not yet started functioning, he stated.
He said the present Cabinet Sub Committee was constituted after the Eastern Naga Students Federation rejected the present form of the NSSB regulations, 2020, and to look into certain other grievances relating to the implementation of the reservation policy by the Nagaland Public Service Commission.
It was decided to include representatives of Naga Students Federation, ENSF, ENP0, Eastern Nagaland Gazetted Officers Association, Central Nagaland Tribes Council and Tenyimia People Organisation in the working group besides others as the committee deemed fit.
He said the Cabinet Sub-committee felt that the issues relating to reservation and functioning of NSSB required wider consultation and asked for views and thoughts to have a comprehensive look at the reservation policy of the State.
Kronu said more tribes have now been added and the quantum of reservation was increased.
It is presently at 37 percent with 25 percent earmarked for the six eastern Naga backward tribes tribes and 12 percent earmarked for the other four backward tribes.
The roster system was introduced in 2001 to ensure equitable distribution of reservation among the backward tribes, he added.