Chief Minister and Minister-in-charge of P&AR, Neiphiu Rio, while replying to the starred question and supplementary about the specification of job reservation quota in Nagaland, said that the cabinet has discussed the matter to revisit the Backward Reservation and that clear specification can be made only after the conduct of census.

In response of the starred question raised by MLA, Achumbemo Kikon on whether the Job Reservation Policy is indefinite or for a specific period of time, the CM said 80% reservation for Indigenous Scheduled Tribes of Nagaland was earmarked from 26th July 1967 with no specific end date. Further, in 1973, the percentage of reservation was revised upto 100% for Non- Technical Grade -III and IV post and 80% for all the posts reserved for any Indigenous Scheduled Tribes of Nagaland belonging to any Naga Tribe, Kuki, Kachari, Garo and Mikir.

It was also informed to the house that Reservation for Backward Tribes in Nagaland began in 1977 with 25% reservation in non-technical and non-gazetted for seven Tribes identified as basing on economical backwardness and also having insignificant representation in the services in the state. Presently, the Backward Tribe reservation stands at 37% with 25% for the seven Eastern Nagaland Backward Tribes and 12% for other four Backward Tribes.

On the Nature of Job reservation in Nagaland, the CM replied that it is made on the basis of the following;

i. Indigenous Scheduled Tribes with the reason that the population of Nagaland primarily consists of Scheduled Tribes.

ii. Backward Tribe Reservation on the basis of insignificant representation of some tribes in Government Services, Educational and Economic Backwardness.

iii. Reservation for Persons with Disability as per the Rights of Persons with PwD Act, 2016.

iv. Sports for meritorious sportsmen and sportswomen.

On whether the job reservation is based on Tribe or District wise, it was stated that job reservation is earmarked on the basis of Tribe wise and not District wise, except for Sumis of Kiphire which is both Tribe and District wise.

On the question on whether the job reservation is shared on the basis of population ratio or geographical area of a district, the Minister-in-charge said that job reservation for Indigenous Scheduled Tribes is made on the basis of Nagaland being primarily inhabited by Scheduled Tribes. Backward Tribe reservation is made on the basis of the respective Tribe and not on the basis of population or geographical area of the tribe with the exception of Sumis of Kiphire which is based on both population and geography.

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