Arunachal group wants government policy to recruit 20% non-residents scrapped
A tribal group in Arunachal Pradesh has issued an ultimatum to the state government to scrap a policy allowing 20% non-resident recruitment for government jobs. They are demanding that Permanent Resident Certificates and Scheduled Tribe status be made mandatory for all state-level recruitment.
Why it matters
The issue reflects ongoing tensions regarding indigenous rights, employment, and regional identity in Northeast India.
A tribal group in Arunachal Pradesh, claiming support from 38 organisations, has set August 15, 2026 as the deadline for the State government to scrap a decades-old policy to recruit 20% non-residents for various government jobs.
The Arunachal Frontier Tribal Front (AFTF) also asked the government to make Scheduled Tribe (ST) status and Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) mandatory for recruitment examinations conducted by the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission and the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board.
“The State government will be responsible for developments after the deadline to scrap the 80:20 recruitment policy,” AFTF chairperson Tadak Nalo said after a “final mass referendum rally” organised in Itanagar on Saturday (August 8, 2026).
The recruitment issue, unresolved for years, concerned the rights and future of the State’s youth, he said.
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