Nagaland job aspirants challenge new manpower rationalisation rules as CTAN seeks recruitment clause deletion and warns of protests
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KOHIMA — Nagaland’s latest office memorandum on manpower rationalisation has not gone down well with government job aspirants, with the Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN) demanding deletion of a provision requiring prior clearance before vacancies can be advertised or recruitment initiated. The association has warned of street protests if its demand is not addressed.
The government had issued an office memorandum on September 14, titled “Operational Guidelines on Interim Measures for Manpower Rationalisation”, for strict adherence by departments and government establishments.
The CTAN on Tuesday sought deletion of Point 2, including sub-points (a) to (f), in toto. The association had submitted a representation to the chief secretary on Monday.
Addressing a press conference at Kohima Press Club, CTAN convenor Meshenlo Kath said the association was not against the entire memorandum, but wanted Point 2 deleted, claiming that its implementation would amount to “taking away the power of NPSC and NSSB, which functions as independent bodies”.
Point 2(a) of the memorandum states: “No proposal for filling up of vacant posts or fresh recruitment/engagement shall be processed by any administrative department without prior examination by the Manpower Rationalisation Committee (MRC).”
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Similarly, Point 2(e) states that no administrative department, head of department, board, state PSU, state corporation or government institution shall issue advertisements or requisitions for vacancies to the NPSC, NSSB, DRB, DLRB or any other recruiting agency without the recommendation of the MRC, SLC-ERRM and a Cabinet decision.
“This means vacancy should not be advertised until it gets approval from MRC and Cabinet. Why is the Cabinet trying to overtake? This never happened in the history of Nagaland,” Kath said.
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He termed the provision “fishy” and alleged that the government was trying to “freeze” the powers of the NPSC and NSSB, adding that departments could take advantage of the provision by not forwarding vacancies.
The CTAN warned that it would come out to the streets if Point 2 was not deleted and appealed to government job aspirants to support its demand.
The association also sought the re-induction of interview marking provision under NSSB, with a minimum of 40% and maximum of 80% marks. According to CTAN, the provision was deleted from the government order, leaving no minimum or maximum limit and creating the possibility of candidates receiving zero marks. “Even one mark matters,” Kath said.
The CTAN further demanded that posts in Pay Levels 3, 4 and 5, which are currently exempted, be included in Schedule-A under the purview of NSSB.
Kath said the demand was based on concerns among aspirants who did not trust departmental examinations. He pointed out that district administration posts are exempted, while departments and services including Police, Prisons, Nagaland Lokayukta, Nagaland Police Telecommunication, Home Guards, Civil Defence, Fire & Emergency Services, Excise and Forest Guard/Forest department are also outside the NSSB’s purview.
According to CTAN, these departments have manpower requirements but are not included under the NSSB, and it wants the relevant posts brought under the Board.
The association has also submitted a separate representation to the NSSB seeking deferment of the examination for the current CSRE vacancies pending clearance and inclusion of 43 additional posts from the MRC.
Co-convenor Kaqheto said more than 30,000 aspirants were preparing for the examination, while only 11 posts had been advertised.
He sought clearance of the remaining 43 posts by the MRC and their inclusion through an addendum so that the examination could be conducted accordingly.
“Forcing more than 30,000 aspirants to compete for a meagre 11 posts causes immense psychological distress and demoralises dedicated candidates who have spent years preparing for this examination,” CTAN stated in its representation.
The association has also written to the Forest department seeking early advertisement of 83 Forest Guard posts and an update on the status of Forester-I posts.
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