KOHIMA, OCTOBER 11 (MExN): The Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) comprising CANSSEA, FONSESA, NIDA, NSSA, and NF&ASA on Saturday issued a statement regarding the ongoing debate over IAS induction from Non-State Civil Service (Non-SCS) officers, amid a pen-down strike called by the associations.
The committee said the strike has received overwhelming support from various individuals and organisations, but noted that misinformation surrounding the issue has circulated, prompting the clarification in the interest of public awareness and to dispel misinformation.
Under the IAS (Recruitment) Rules, 1954, induction into the IAS from State Services occurs through two categories: State Civil Service (SCS) – officers belonging to the established State Civil Service Cadre, such as the Nagaland Civil Service (NCS). Non-State Civil Service (Non-SCS) – officers not formally part of the State Civil Service cadre but holding gazetted posts of equivalent merit and service in the state government.
The total number of senior IAS positions in a state is subject to a quota system, with one-third of positions (33.33%) reserved for promotion from State Services, including SCS and Non-SCS.
Within this one-third quota, up to 15% (meaning 15% of the 33.33%) can be reserved for the Non-SCS to which Non-SCS officers may be selected. For Non-SCS officers, the selection process is more stringent. In addition to meeting basic eligibility criteria, they must demonstrate "outstanding merit and ability" as emphasised in the IAS Regulations making the induction of Non-SCS officers into IAS a rare and highly competitive process.
Against the backdrop of these Rules and Regulations, the committee said the state government had issued a Vacancy Circular on March 10, 2025, for induction of Non-SCS officers, limiting eligibility to candidates recruited through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC). Applicants were given 15 days to apply, but the circular was withdrawn on March 25, 2025, a day after the last submission, without explanation, raising concerns among service associations over procedural manipulation.
This raised immediate concerns among Service Associations which suspected procedural manipulation. Their suspicions were confirmed when in an extraordinary turn of events, the State Cabinet convened a meeting on March 27, 2025 and directed the P&AR Department to re-advertise the Vacancy Circular as per Central Guidelines.
