Kohima – The Joint Coordination Committee (JCC), representing five key service associations in Nagaland, has announced the continuation of its ‘pen down’ strike. This decision follows a meeting with a state cabinet sub-committee that did not yield a satisfactory resolution concerning the induction of non-state civil service (non-SCS) officers into the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) cadre.
The JCC, which includes the Confederation of All Nagaland State Services Employees Association, the Federation of Nagaland State Engineers Service Association, the Nagaland In-Service Doctors’ Association, the Nagaland Secretariat Service Association, and the Nagaland Forest Service Association, initiated the strike in response to the government’s move. The government had formed a cabinet sub-committee on October 16 to address the concerns raised by the service associations.
According to a JCC circular, the committee met with the cabinet sub-committee to present its demands and concerns regarding the IAS induction process. While the issue was discussed at length, the cabinet sub-committee’s inability to agree to the JCC’s demands led to the decision to escalate the matter to the state cabinet for a final decision.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of a concrete solution, the JCC declared that the strike would persist indefinitely, or until the government meets its demands. All previously implemented strike measures remain in effect.
The JCC has called for solidarity among all government departments and service associations, urging adherence to the strike directives while awaiting the state cabinet’s decision. The core of the protest lies in the JCC’s opposition to the induction of non-SCS officers into the IAS cadre from Nagaland, citing procedural irregularities and alleged violations of established IAS Regulations.
The controversy intensified after a government spokesperson described the issue as a mere “bureaucratic procedural lapse.” The JCC strongly refuted this, emphasizing that the matter involves significant administrative and legal discrepancies, not just procedural oversights.
This ‘pen down’ strike represents the third phase of protests, following earlier actions such as a black badge campaign and poster demonstrations across government offices. The JCC remains committed to its agitation until the government addresses what it perceives as a “gross injustice” in the IAS induction process.