Kohima, Sep 24 (NationPress) The Committee on Review of Reservation Policy (CoRRP), representing five tribes in Nagaland, has been pushing for a reassessment of the state’s job reservation policy for several months. On Wednesday, they reaffirmed their decision to initiate an indefinite shutdown across eight districts starting October 1 to advocate for this demand.

The CoRRP expressed a partial welcome to the state government’s recent move to form a commission aimed at reviewing the long-standing job reservation policy.

In a statement, the Naga body acknowledged the notification issued on September 22 regarding the establishment of the Reservation Commission, although they noted it was delayed for over 100 days since the Cabinet's initial agreement on June 12.

CoRRP Member Secretary G.K. Zhimomi and Convenor Tesinlo Semy issued a joint statement indicating that the notification diverged from the agreed points made during the June 3 meeting between the state government and CoRRP, as well as from the Cabinet's announcement on August 6 regarding the formation of the Reservation Review Commission.

“We call on the state government to amend the nomenclature to Reservation Review Commission and align the terms of reference with the June 3 meeting’s decision, ensuring a comprehensive review of both job reservations and technical and professional seats,” the statement urged.

The indefinite shutdown in the eight districts will proceed until the state government addresses these concerns.

A senior government official previously stated that a Job Reservation Commission was formed on September 22 to evaluate and report on the reservation policy in government employment, aiming to recommend a policy that ensures fair representation of various tribes in state employment.

Retired IAS officer R. Ramakrishnan will chair the five-member commission. The CoRRP, which represents the Ao, Angami, Lotha, Rengma, and Sumi tribes, has issued an ultimatum to the government to meet their demands.

“If our demands are not met by September 30, a complete shutdown will be enforced from October 1 in the eight districts populated by the five Naga tribes: Kohima, Dimapur, Mokokchung, Wokha, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Tseminyu, and Zunheboto,” Zhimomi stated.

Since April, the CoRRP has engaged in various protests and has declared non-cooperation with the government, including a boycott of the Independence Day celebrations on August 15.

The Naga body contends that the job reservation policy, in effect for 48 years (since 1977), no longer reflects the contemporary socio-economic and educational realities of the diverse communities in Nagaland.

In pursuit of their demands, the Naga bodies have organized two significant phases of agitation: the first on May 29, featuring protest rallies at multiple district headquarters, and the second on July 9, where thousands from the five tribes donned traditional attire and protested outside the Civil Secretariat in Kohima.

Initially, 25% reservation was designated for seven tribes in non-technical and non-gazetted positions for a decade, based on educational and economic disadvantages, and limited representation in state services.

Over time, this reservation has expanded to 37%, with 25% for seven Eastern Nagaland backward tribes and 12% for four additional backward tribes in the state.