Meghalaya State Reservation Policy: KHNAM presses for 80% reservation in jobs for Khasi-Jaintia and Garo communities

It requested the Committee to ensure that the seats reserved for the Indigenous people of the state should be reserved only for them.

The Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) in Meghalaya has suggested 80% job reservation for the Khasi-Jaintia and Garo communities based on merit.

The suggestion is part of its recommendations made to the Expert Committee on the State Reservation Policy.

It may be mentioned here that the Expert Committee has invited stakeholders, political parties and NGOs of the East Jaintia Hills district to submit their views and suggestions on the proposed amendment of the Meghalaya State Reservation Policy 1972 by June 15, 2024.

Submitting its views to the Committee, KHNAM suggested that the reservation for the Khasi-Jaintia people should be increased to 50% given the highest population ratio.

It further suggested 80% reservation in jobs in private sectors for the indigenous people.

Speaking to Northeast Live, KHNAM working president Thomas Passah said that the party urged the Expert Committee to remove the word “Autonomous” from paragraph one of the policy, as Meghalaya is a full-fledged state now.

It requested the Committee to immediately stop the practice of carrying forward vacant positions from one recruitment year to the next, as per one of its provisions.

It requested the Committee to ensure that the seats reserved for the Indigenous people of the state should be reserved only for them.

It requested to Committee to ensure reservation at district level is 80% for Garos in Garo Hills and 80% for Khasi and Jaintia in Khasi and Jaintia Hills.

It also said that the State Reservation Policy should be implemented in the private sector as well so that the employability of youth increase.

Lastly, it requested the Committee to make sure that the State Reservation Policy to be proposed to the State government states that it is only meant only for job reservation and not for academic reservation.

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