Nagaland Police recruitment: DGP pledges transparency

KOHIMA — Following the advertisement of 1,176 posts of constables (GD) in the Nagaland Police department on Tuesday, Director General of Police Rupin Sharma said the recruitment process has been designed to address concerns raised in the past and to ensure fairness and transparency.

Addressing a press conference at the Police Headquarters (PHQ), Kohima, the DGP said drafting the advertisement had been a year-long exercise involving extensive consultations with senior officers, various agencies, departments, and tribal organisations.

“We have tried to take care of almost every aspect that people could think of,” he said.

As the process had taken time, the government relaxed the upper age limit for recruitment to 38 years so that those who missed opportunities earlier, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, could also participate.

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Sharma added that if the current recruitment proceeds smoothly, another cycle of around 1,200 posts would be announced within five to six months. However, the number of vacancies in each cycle is limited by the capacity of police training institutes, which currently stands at about 1,000 trainees.

Online application only

For the first time, Nagaland Police will not accept physical application forms. All applications must be submitted online. “Let me make it very clear, there are no physical forms to be collected by any candidate from any office, either PHQ or any of our units,” Sharma stressed.

A recruitment portal was scheduled to go live on Tuesday evening. Applicants can apply directly or through assisted applications, but the phone number and documents provided must belong to the candidate. Registration will be a one-time process covering all future recruitments. Applications for this cycle open on October 6 and close on November 7.

Details entered during registration cannot be changed after the last date. Candidates below 18 or above 38 years will not be eligible. The DGP urged applicants to keep their required documents and identification ready for uploading.

 “This is to make sure that we do not face problems when we are examining or scrutinising things”, he said.

Unlike in the past, there will be no separate recruitment for NAP, DEF, or IR battalions. All recruits will join IR battalions in principle. Sharma said this move is aimed at keeping IR battalions “young and fit”, noting that some personnel have served in the IR for 25 years and faced physical strain.

Over time, the police will devise a system to transfer personnel from IR battalions to DEF or other units based on educational qualifications, profiles, and capabilities. The DGP confirmed that tribal representation in the recruitment process is based on the 2011 census, as per government decision.

Substance abuse and medical checks

The police chief warned that candidates found abusing substances at any stage, even after recruitment, will be dismissed immediately. Medical and physical examinations will be conducted as per requirements, and there will be no relaxation in physical criteria. “Candidates who do not meet the physical criteria will be disqualified,” Sharma said.

He appealed to the public to help maintain the fairness of the process and cautioned candidates against “falling into the trap” of offering or discussing bribes.

“Please help us to keep it free from any interference or any allegations of bribery or influence or anything,” he said.

Sharma said arrangements have been made to accommodate 1,200 trainees, although challenges remain due to limited infrastructure and trainers. To address this, trainers from across the Nagaland Police have been shortlisted.

No recommendation letters

On the issue of recommendation letters, the DGP acknowledged that requests from political leaders could not be ruled out but insisted that “no recommendations are going to come” and they would not be accepted.

“We will handle it in a very fair manner… there will be no one who will be disadvantaged because of this,” he maintained.

While the minimum educational requirement for constable recruitment is Class 6, Sharma expressed optimism that with more educated candidates joining the force, policing in the state would evolve.

“If we get more and more educated boys and better educated persons, I think the whole system changes. The whole system of policing in Nagaland changes,” he remarked.

Sharma also clarified that certain groups such as the Garo, Kuki, Kachari, and Mikir (Karbi) are not included in this recruitment cycle as per a government decision. Their quota of seats is being kept aside and will not be filled by others. Once the government resolves the issue, the reserved posts will be advertised separately.

The DGP said the recruitment process is expected to take around four months to complete.

“We are looking at a very futuristic Nagaland Police through this recruitment and the future ones,” he added.