Clarify the reservation policy

Editor,

At the outset, I would like to clarify that I am an aspirant who supports the Commission in holding the examination on December 15, 2024, and opposes any postponement. I hope to write the exam without any controversy.

However, since the APPSC issued the advertisement for APPSCCE 2024, there has been a lack of clarity regarding the reservation policy. A high-level committee was formed to examine whether a Permanent Residential Certificate (PRC) from Arunachal Pradesh should be a prerequisite for appearing in examinations conducted by the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC). The committee, headed by former Education Minister Taba Tedir, has recommended that candidates must have a PRC from Arunachal Pradesh to be eligible for the exam. Children and spouses of state government servants holding a Temporary Residential Certificate (TRC) and/or an employment certificate will also be considered eligible, provided that the individual has served in the state for at least five years and up to ten years after retirement.

What is the status of these recommendations? The government should provide clarity on this matter. Moreover, the Commission must clarify the reservation policy before the form-filling process begins. Any negligence in this regard could unnecessarily drag APPSC into controversy again.

The competent authorities must understand that 90% of the current aspirants are first-generation individuals from towns, many of which are still underdeveloped. Our fathers were the first generation to emerge from the jungle, highlighting the significant educational divide. At a time when various organizations are fighting to safeguard the rights of the indigenous people of Arunachal, including social activists engaged in the ST/PRC surrender movement and political parties advocating for constitutional amendments to protect Arunachal’s rights-with substantial public support-can the Commission guarantee that the next APPSCCE will be free of controversy, especially without clarifying the reservation issue? The Commission risks making another blunder and is sitting on a ticking time bomb if it proceeds with the current advertisement without addressing the sensitive reservation policy. Please address this issue, as we want to take the exam without controversy.

Aging Aspirant