The Arunachal Frontier Tribal Front has begun a Pan Arunachal Movement demanding 100 per cent reservation in government jobs for indigenous residents, citing rising unemployment and the need to protect tribal rights and identity.
Itanagar: A renewed debate over employment rights in Arunachal Pradesh has gained power with the Arunachal Frontier Tribal Front (AFTF) launching a statewide campaign seeking the complete removal of the existing 80:20 reservation ratio in government recruitment. The party has called for a shift towards full reservation for indigenous residents in all state government jobs.
The campaign was formally launched through an Awareness-cum-Signature Campaign at Indira Gandhi Park in Itanagar, led by AFTF chairman Tadak Nalo. The current recruitment policy reserves 80 per cent of government posts for Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribes (APST) and leaves 20 per cent open to non-tribal candidates. The AFTF argues that this framework no longer serves the interests of indigenous youth, especially amid growing unemployment in the state.
Addressing supporters, Nalo said the party is demanding 100 per cent reservation, with Scheduled Tribe status and Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) made mandatory for all recruitments conducted by the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission and the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board. He maintained that prioritising indigenous candidates is essential to safeguard local livelihoods and social stability.
The AFTF leadership pointed out that several neighbouring Northeastern states have adopted stricter domicile-based recruitment norms, giving preference to local communities in public employment. According to the party, Arunachal Pradesh, as a predominantly tribal state, must adopt similar measures to protect its demographic character.
The campaign marks the first phase of the AFTF’s proposed “Pan Arunachal Movement,” which aims to secure long-term protections for indigenous rights and employment opportunities. Supporting the demand, anti-dam activist Ebo Mili said the movement is not aimed at excluding outsiders but at ensuring that “sons of the soil” are given priority in government jobs during a period of acute unemployment.
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