Imphal, June 23: The Tribal Youth Council Manipur (TYCM) has strongly called out the Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) for allegedly violating government reservation norms in its recent recruitment notice. In a sharp statement issued today, the council demanded immediate correction and compliance with reservation guidelines that safeguard Scheduled Tribe (ST) representation in public service.
The uproar follows MPSC’s Advertisement No. 1/2025 dated June 17, which invited applications for 18 contractual posts under the Directorate of Trade, Commerce & Industries, Manipur. Among the advertised posts, three positions for Development Officer (DIC) were listed, all marked for Unreserved (UR) category. According to TYCM, this directly contravenes a standing government order issued on November 14, 2014 (Order No. 9/6/2007-SC/ST/OBC/DP(Pt)) by the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms.
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As per the 2014 order, in cases where only three posts are sanctioned for a service, the standard 200-point reservation roster does not apply, instead, the third post must be reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates.
TYCM has now demanded that at least one of the three DIC posts be reserved for ST, in line with the said directive. “This is not just a technicality, it’s about representation, equity, and respect for constitutional safeguards,” said a spokesperson from TYCM’s General Headquarters in Dewlahland, Imphal.
The council has also flagged another major issue in the recruitment process, the denial of age relaxation for ST candidates across most posts. The June 17 notification offers a 5-year age relaxation only for the post of Extension Officer (IND), which has ST reservations. TYCM argues this is flawed and discriminatory, asserting that age relaxation must be extended to all eligible ST candidates, regardless of whether a specific post is reserved or not.
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“Age relaxation isn’t about whether a post is reserved, it’s about who the applicant is. ST candidates applying under the UR category are still entitled to it,” the statement emphasized.
To formalize their stand, TYCM has submitted a written representation to the Hon’ble Chairman of the Manipur Public Service Commission earlier today.
With rising concerns over underrepresentation of tribal communities in state services, TYCM’s latest stand has struck a chord with many. As tribal youth face growing competition and systemic hurdles, the council’s demand for fair recruitment practices adds urgency to a conversation that can no longer be ignored.