Nagaland IAS induction row: Naga student bodies on opposite sides

DIMAPUR — The ongoing controversy surrounding the induction of Non-State Civil Service (Non-SCS) officers into Indian Administrative Service (IAS) has taken a new turn, with two major Naga student bodies—the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) and the Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF)—issuing separate representations to the state government, each taking divergent stands on the issue.

While the NSF urged Nagaland government to uphold meritocracy and constitutional compliance by rectifying alleged irregularities in the IAS induction process, the ENSF defended the legality of the process under central laws and cautioned against misinterpretation of recruitment rules.

In its representation addressed to the chief secretary, the NSF expressed solidarity with the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) and termed the reported procedural discrepancies in the IAS induction process as a “matter of grave concern.”

It reiterated that “meritocracy must constitute the inviolable cornerstone of public employment and service induction in Nagaland,” warning that inclusion of officers who had entered service through “irregular, backdoor or unconstitutional means” would undermine the integrity of governance and erode public trust in state institutions.

Calling for immediate corrective action, the NSF urged the government to rectify and nullify any irregular or unconstitutional considerations in the ongoing IAS induction exercise.

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It stressed that eligibility should be limited exclusively to officers recruited through due process—namely, the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) or other legitimate recruitment boards functioning in compliance with established service rules and constitutional provisions.

The federation further recommended the institutionalisation of a legally enforceable and transparent selection mechanism under the department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (P&AR).

At the same time, the NSF appealed to the JCC to consider keeping its ongoing agitation in temporary abeyance “in the larger public interest,” acknowledging that prolonged disruption of government functioning had begun to impede essential services.

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Taking a contrasting view, the ENSF, in a letter addressed to the chief minister, stated that the IAS induction process in question is governed entirely by central laws—specifically the IAS (Recruitment) Rules, 1954, and the IAS (Appointment by Selection) Regulations, 1997—which are framed under the All India Services Act, 1951, and apply uniformly across all states.

Citing findings obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) query filed on September 9, 2025, the ENSF stated that there was no record to justify the 2020 vacancy circular that restricted eligibility to only those officers recruited through the NPSC.

It argued that the department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (P&AR) “has no valid justification” for upholding the JCC’s position, as the RTI reply confirmed that no such criterion had been examined or approved by the state government.

The ENSF explained that, under the prevailing framework, the state government’s role in IAS induction is confined to identifying eligible officers and forwarding their particulars to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), while the selection process itself is conducted under the supervision of the department of Personnel and Training in accordance with central guidelines.

Citing past examples, the ENSF pointed out that earlier IAS inductions in Nagaland had included officers who were initially appointed on contract or ad hoc basis and later regularised—a practice that went unchallenged until now.

It observed that “no organisation or association raised objections” when non-NPSC officers were inducted into the IAS in 2021 under similar circumstances.

The federation alleged that the current objections have emerged only because officers from eastern Nagaland were empanelled under the same process, terming it a case of “bias and discriminatory attitude.”

Condemning what it described as “distortion of statutory provisions for personal or collective interests,” the ENSF accused certain associations of misleading others and undermining the authority of both the state and central governments.

It warned that if defamation and “character assassination” of bona fide officers continue, the federation would be compelled to make public the records of all officers appointed through both NPSC and non-NPSC routes.

While reaffirming its trust in the state government’s adherence to due process, the ENSF called for the issue to be resolved “in accordance with the established law and in the spirit of fairness, justice, and equality among all Nagas.”