The Combined Technical Association of Nagaland has opposed a proposal to revise the Junior Engineer–Sub-Divisional Officer quota, warning of legal and merit concerns.
Share
KOHIMA — A proposal to revise the Junior Engineer (JE) to Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) recruitment ratio in Nagaland has drawn opposition from the Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN). The association warned on Tuesday that the move could undermine merit-based recruitment, disrupt cadre structure and invite legal challenges.
The proposal, currently under re-examination, seeks to increase the promotion quota from the existing 40 per cent to 50 per cent and reduce the share of direct recruitment from 60 per cent to 50 per cent.
In a representation submitted to the Engineer-in-Chief of the Nagaland Public Works Department (NPWD), CTAN objected to the proposed revision and urged that the existing ratio of 60 per cent direct recruitment and 40 per cent promotion be retained in its entirety.
“Any deviation from this established norm would be detrimental to the service, contrary to public interest, and legally vulnerable,” the association stated, adding that the proposed change undermines meritocracy and runs counter to established service jurisprudence.
CTAN said the existing ratio is a “constitutionally recognised framework” designed to balance the need for experienced personnel with the induction of qualified technical graduates selected through competitive examinations conducted by the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC).
Also read: Nagaland: CTAN, NNQF demand NPSC recruitment for 129 faculty posts
Citing departmental data, the association said 95.6 per cent of JE recruits in the past five years are B.E/B.Tech degree holders, reflecting the effectiveness of the current system in attracting qualified candidates. It argued that reducing the direct recruitment quota would constrict entry through the NPSC and could invite litigation on grounds of arbitrariness and violation of constitutional principles.
CTAN further maintained that increasing the promotion quota at the SDO level could reverse reforms introduced under the Nagaland Engineering Service Rules, 2006, which, it said, had removed reservation in higher posts to address the anomaly of diploma holders superseding degree holders.
It added that the existing 40 per cent promotion quota already provides adequate representation to departmental promotees without disturbing the merit-based balance.
The association also flagged the likely impact on recruitment and employment, stating that reducing direct recruitment from 60 per cent to 50 per cent would lower the number of posts advertised by the NPSC, prolong unemployment among civil engineering graduates and weaken the department’s ability to attract qualified candidates. It further argued that a shrinking direct recruitment pipeline would, over time, affect the quality of the cadre at the Executive Engineer and Superintending Engineer levels.
The other side
However, a communication of the Works and Housing Department, reviewed by Eastern Mirror, said the proposal to revise the ratio was based on the recommendations of a committee that examined a representation submitted by the All Nagaland Junior Engineers Association (ANJEA).
According to the communication, both the Power Department and the Public Health Engineering Department agreed with the committee’s recommendation to enhance the promotion quota from 40 per cent to 50 per cent and reduce the direct recruitment quota from 60 per cent to 50 per cent.
The proposal, the communication stated, was made to address stagnation in the departments and accommodate experienced in-service junior engineers in higher ranks. It cited committee observations indicating that 209 junior engineers — 136 in the Works and Housing Department, 41 in the Power Department and 32 in PHED — have remained without promotion for more than 15 years.
The Works and Housing Department has requested the Engineer-in-Chief, NPWD, to re-examine the committee’s report on the proposed quota revision and furnish comments for further necessary action.
The communication also stated that of the 208 direct JEs recruited through the NPSC till date, 177 are B.E/B.Tech holders and 31 are diploma holders.
In the past five years, 87 of the 91 JEs recruited through the NPSC were degree holders.