Itanagar, Aug 14: The Arunachal Pradesh government has approved uniform eligibility criteria for direct recruitment to all Group A, B and C services and posts in the state, following the scrapping of the 80:20 reservation arrangement in government recruitment.
The 80:20 reservation was scrapped following a Cabinet decision approving the recommendations of the High Power Committee (HPC) on recruitment eligibility criteria. Introduced in 1991, the policy reserved 80% of state government jobs for Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (APST) candidates, while leaving 20% open to others.
Under the new criteria, a candidate must meet three mandatory conditions for direct recruitment to state government jobs: possess a valid Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC), hold APST status and demonstrate proficiency in at least one Indigenous Tribal Language of Arunachal Pradesh from the notified list, an official said.
The Cabinet has also directed the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) and the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB) to incorporate the new eligibility clauses in future recruitment advertisements and service rules. A post-joining language test mechanism will also form part of the recruitment framework.
The provisions will take effect immediately and apply to recruitment and service rules governing Group A, B and C posts and their equivalents.
In a post on X, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said proficiency in at least one indigenous language of Arunachal Pradesh, along with ST and PRC eligibility, would be mandatory for direct recruitment to government services.
“If you are going to serve the people of Arunachal, you should be able to speak at least one of the dialects of its people,” Khandu said.
The decision is aimed at strengthening eligibility requirements for government employment and ensuring that candidates meet the prescribed indigenous and local criteria.
