Editor,
I would like to raise a concern regarding the growing imbalance within the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category in Arunachal Pradesh, particularly in the context of state civil services recruitment.
Over the years, we have observed that a few elite families continue to dominate the state civil services, especially in recruitment through the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC). These individuals often come from well-established families with high incomes and parents who have already benefited from government jobs and other social privileges.
It has become increasingly evident that a small group of elite families within the AP-ST category consistently secure top positions in the APPSC and other government departments. For instance, in the recent APPSCEE-2024 results, over 90 percent of successful candidates belonged to these elite families, who represent less than 10 percent of the AP-ST population. These elites are already socially, economically, and educationally far ahead within the AP-ST community.
This has led to the systemic exclusion of marginalized, lower-class groups within the AP-ST category, who are unable to compete on equal footing due to disadvantages such as geographic isolation and lack of access to quality education and resources. If this trend continues, it will only widen the intra-tribal gap and may lead to future social unrest.
Therefore, I strongly urge the state government and relevant authorities to consider sub-categorization within the AP-ST category. Reservation policies should also incorporate an income ceiling, similar to the creamy layer system implemented at the central level. This would help ensure that the benefits of reservation are distributed more fairly and inclusively, especially to those AP-ST communities that remain underrepresented in civil services.
This is not a call for division, but a call for justice, equity, and true empowerment for every section of our tribal society.
Marine Panggeng,
Pasighat