Non-resident Garos can no longer apply for state govt jobs: Meghalaya cabinet

The 1972 job reservation policy mandates that 80 per cent of jobs be reserved for Khasi (40%) and Garo (40%), 5% for other tribes and the remaining 15% for others who reside in the state

The Meghalaya cabinet on Tuesday approved an office memorandum (OM) of the personnel department which said non-resident Garo tribals under the 1972 job reservation policy will not be able to apply for state government jobs.

The cabinet meeting was chaired by chief minister Conrad K Sangma. (HT Photo)

The 1972 job reservation policy mandates that 80% of jobs be reserved for Khasi (40%) and Garo (40%), 5% for other tribes and the remaining 15% for others who reside in the state.

The cabinet meeting was chaired by chief minister Conrad K Sangma.

“The OM dated 1974, will be set aside as it is being observed that most of the vacancies reserved for Garo categories have been and are being filled by qualified candidates from the Garo category who are (not) available from within the state. So, we have deleted the OM which allowed Garos living outside the state of Meghalaya to be eligible for applying jobs in the state of Meghalaya,” cabinet minister and Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) 2.0 spokesperson Ampareen Lyngdoh told media persons after the meeting.

She added that the cabinet also amended the other OMs of the personnel department on reservation policy, reservation roster.

She said, “In the new situation where we have a new cabinet memo regarding the implementation of the roster in the state of Meghalaya, we were now able to omit certain erroneous OMs that were issued in the previous years.”

Informing that another OM has also been looked at and has been amended, she said, “The OM of 2020 on reservation roster for persons with disabilities (PwDs). It was notified then. However, with the issue of the new OM dated June 14, 2023, the reservation for PwDs have been fixed as per definite points in the reservation roster and hence, the previous OM will not be applicable henceforth.”

The minister further informed that a proviso has also been added to the new reservation roster by ensuring knowledge of local language is included in the recruitment of the various categories of posts.

“The provision of para 2 and in view of this, it has been found necessary that this proviso should also entail para 2 to the OM incorporating a qualification paper that is knowledge of local language to be included in the recruitment of categories of posts which fall under the purview of the district selection committees (DSCs),” said the minister.