Itanagar, May 29:
Itanagar, May 29: The Arunachal Frontier Tribal Front (AFTF) has submitted a detailed representation to the Government of Arunachal Pradesh seeking the complete abolition of the 80:20 ratio criterion in the state's recruitment system and urging the government to introduce stricter eligibility measures to safeguard employment opportunities for indigenous tribal communities.
In a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister Pema Khandu on May 29, the organization described the existing 80:20 ratio policy as outdated and no longer relevant to present-day Arunachal Pradesh. The representation was signed by AFTF Chairman Tadak Nalo and General Secretary Tarba Japan.
According to the memorandum, the 80:20 ratio was introduced in 1990, under which 80 per cent of government posts are reserved for Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (APST) candidates while the remaining 20 per cent are kept unreserved. The organization argued that the policy was framed at a time when literacy levels in the state were low and there were comparatively fewer qualified APST candidates available for government services.
The AFTF contended that the present socio-economic conditions of Arunachal Pradesh have changed considerably and that the state is currently facing a growing unemployment challenge among its youth. It stated that continuation of the 20 per cent unreserved quota could adversely affect the long-term socio-cultural, economic and political interests of the indigenous population of the state.
As part of its demands, the organization has urged the state government to make both the Scheduled Tribe (ST) Certificate and Permanent Residential Certificate (PRC) of Arunachal Pradesh mandatory eligibility documents for candidates appearing in examinations conducted by the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) and Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB).
The AFTF has also sought the introduction of a mandatory tribal language or dialect component during the viva-voce stage of recruitment examinations conducted by APPSC and APSSB. According to the representation, APST candidates should be able to communicate in their respective tribal languages or dialects as part of the selection process.
To support its demand, the organization cited recruitment practices followed in several northeastern states. The memorandum stated that Mizoram requires a PRC, ST certificate and knowledge of the Mizo language for participation in recruitment examinations. It further claimed that Manipur mandates residency credentials and proficiency in Manipuri or tribal dialects, while Sikkim requires local employment and subject certificates for eligibility.
The representation also referred to Assam's recruitment system, which reportedly requires domicile and residency certificates along with proficiency in Assamese or other recognized state languages. Similarly, Nagaland was cited as requiring an Indigenous Inhabitant Certificate for candidates seeking to participate in recruitment examinations.
Based on these examples, the AFTF argued that most northeastern states have established safeguards ensuring that recruitment opportunities primarily benefit indigenous residents, and suggested that Arunachal Pradesh should adopt similar measures to protect local interests.
The organization further stated that examination calendars for APPSC and APSSB have already been announced and that several major recruitment examinations are scheduled in the coming months. It maintained that any decision regarding the 80:20 ratio should be taken before the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Combined Competitive Examination (APPSCCE) 2026 Preliminary Examination, which is scheduled for September 2026.
The memorandum also highlighted a public awareness and signature campaign reportedly conducted by the AFTF on January 28, 2026, during which the organization claimed to have collected more than 25,000 signatures supporting the demand for scrapping the 80:20 ratio criterion.
Seeking urgent intervention, the AFTF has requested the state government to address its demands within 30 days and set June 30, 2026, as the deadline for action on the issue.
The state government has not yet issued an official response to the representation.
