Itanagar, Jul 7: The Arunachal Pradesh Government has constituted a high-level committee to examine the feasibility and methodology for abolishing the existing 80:20 reservation ratio in state government recruitment and making the Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) and Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (APST) certificate mandatory in all competitive recruitment processes.
The order, issued by the Chief Secretary on Tuesday, comes in response to the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union's (AAPSU) memorandum submitted on June 2 seeking reforms in the state’s recruitment policy, the apex students’ body said.
The committee will be chaired by Industries, Skill Development and Labour & Employment Minister Nyato Dukam. Its members include the Principal Secretary (Home/PWD), Secretary (Law), Secretary (Personnel), Secretary (SJETA) and Joint Secretary (AR&T). The AAPSU president or his representative will be associated as a Special Invitee for the committee's hearings — ensuring direct representation of the indigenous student community in the deliberations.
The committee has been tasked with examining the constitutional and legal provisions governing reservation policies and the applicability of PRC in government services, studying recruitment systems followed in neighbouring states such as Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur, reviewing recommendations of an earlier high-level committee, and examining the existing criteria for issuing PRCs in Arunachal Pradesh.
The committee has been directed to submit its report to the government within two months.
Welcoming the decision, AAPSU president Meje Taku described the committee's formation as the outcome of the union's sustained advocacy.
"This is a moment we have long awaited on behalf of the students and youth of our state. This is only the first step, and we will remain engaged, constructive and vigilant until it translates into concrete policy," Taku said.
He added that the government has also assured the union that the remaining demands in its 13-point memorandum, including issues related to Article 371(H), the Chakma-Hajong issue, Assam-Arunachal boundary demarcation, anti-racism legislation, Chief Minister's Research Fellowship for APST PhD scholars, additional CUET examination centres and other welfare measures, are being taken up on priority by the concerned departments.
AAPSU had on Monday given the government a seven-day deadline to clarify the status of its 13-point memorandum.