Kohima: The Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) in Nagaland has intensified its agitation against the state government, launching a “tools down” strike on Thursday in addition to its ongoing “pen down” protest, demanding the restoration of merit-based recruitment.
The JCC, comprising major service associations including 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), accused the government of neglecting their demands despite over 40 days of peaceful demonstrations.
The committee reaffirmed that its agitation would continue until the government reinstates the March 10 vacancy circular and withdraws the “non-NPSC/backdoor candidate” from the IAS induction panel list.
With the protest expanding, several allied groups — including the All Nagaland Government Drivers’ Association, Nagaland Civil Secretariat Drivers’ Association, All Nagaland Directorate & District Government Drivers’ Union, and Nagaland Civil Secretariat Grade-IV Staff Employees Association — have joined the strike.
Despite the escalation, the JCC has instructed its members to keep essential services such as healthcare, power, water supply, sanitation, and educational transport uninterrupted, ensuring that the protest remains peaceful and confined to workplaces.
In response, the Nagaland government defended its stance on October 30, asserting that the current IAS induction process follows long-standing administrative conventions. Government spokesperson and minister KG Kenye argued that the JCC’s demand to restrict IAS induction solely to Nagaland Civil Service (NCS) officers is “a new development” that deviates from historical practice.
“This is the first time we are facing such opposition to having even one IAS vacancy open to other services,” Kenye stated, adding that successive governments have always included at least one non-NCS officer of “outstanding merit, efficiency, and service record.”
Appealing for calm, Kenye urged the JCC to reconsider its position and allow governance to resume. “We have not violated any guidelines. If there are differing opinions, let the Centre decide,” he said, noting that the government would wait for the DoPT and UPSC’s feedback before proceeding.
Thursday’s action marks the fourth phase of the JCC’s movement, which began on September 25 with black badge protests, followed by a poster campaign and the pen-down strike, signalling deepening discontent among state employees over recruitment transparency and administrative fairness.
