Nagaland IAS Induction row: JCC intensifies strike; launches tools down strike

Kohima, Nov 6 (PTI) The Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) on Thursday intensified its ongoing agitation against the Nagaland government by enforcing a full-scale ‘tools down’ strike alongside the existing pen down agitation.

The JCC is composed of the Confederation of All Nagaland State Services Employees Association (CANSSEA), Nagaland In-Service Doctors Association (NIDA), Nagaland Secretariat Service Association (NSSA), Nagaland Finance and Accounts Service Association (NF&ASA), and Federation of Nagaland State Engineering Service Association (FONSESA).

Alleging that the government has failed to respond positively despite more than 40 days of peaceful protest, the committee said the movement would continue until its demand for the 'restoration of merit' is met.

Reiterating that its core demands remain unchanged, the JCC sought the restoration of the March 10 vacancy circular and the withdrawal of the "non-NPSC/backdoor candidate" from the IAS induction panel list.

With the strike now expanded, the All Nagaland Government Drivers' Association, Nagaland Civil Secretariat Drivers' Association, All Nagaland Directorate & District Government Drivers' Union, and the Nagaland Civil Secretariat Grade-IV Staff Employees Association are actively participating in the tools down protest.

The committee has instructed all its members across directorates and service associations to ensure that essential services – public transport, ambulances, educational institution vehicle service, sanitation, power and PHE services remain uninterrupted and that the protest remains peaceful and confined to workplaces.

The state government on October 30 defended its position, stating that the IAS induction process being followed is based on decades old administrative convention.

Government spokesperson and minister KG Kenye said the JCC’s insistence that only Nagaland Civil Service (NCS) officers be considered for IAS induction was a “new development” and not consistent with long-standing practice.

"This is the first time we are facing such opposition to having even one IAS vacancy open to other services," Kenye said, adding that successive governments have always recommended at least one non-state civil services officer who has shown "outstanding merit, efficiency, and service record." Requesting the JCC to reconsider their stand and restore normalcy in the larger interest of the people, Kenye said the state government would wait for the observations of the DoPT and UPSC before taking any further decision.

"We have not violated any guidelines. If there are differing opinions, let the Centre decide," he said, while stressing that governance should not be paralysed by such disputes.

This is the fourth phase of the agitation since it was launched on September 25, beginning with the wearing of black badges, followed by a poster campaign and a pen-down strike. PTI NBS NBS MNB