KOHIMA, Nov 6: The Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) on Thursday intensified its ongoing protest against the Nagaland government by launching a full-scale “tools down” strike, escalating its 40-day-long agitation over the IAS induction controversy.

The JCC, comprising several major associations including the Confederation of All Nagaland State Services Employees Association (CANSSEA), Nagaland In-Service Doctors Association (NIDA), Nagaland Secretariat Service Association (NSSA), Nagaland Finance and Accounts Service Association (NF&ASA), and the Federation of Nagaland State Engineering Service Association (FONSESA), has been demanding the restoration of merit-based selection and the withdrawal of non-NPSC (Nagaland Public Service Commission) candidates from the IAS induction list.

Despite over a month of protests beginning with black badge campaigns and later pen-down strikes, the government has not met their demands, prompting the latest phase of industrial action. The JCC reaffirmed that the movement would continue until the March 10 vacancy circular is restored and merit-based recruitment norms are upheld.

The expanded strike has seen participation from multiple departments, including the All Nagaland Government Drivers’ Association, Nagaland Civil Secretariat Drivers’ Association, All Nagaland Directorate & District Government Drivers’ Union, and the Nagaland Civil Secretariat Grade-IV Staff Employees Association.

While enforcing the protest, the JCC has directed members to ensure that essential services such as healthcare, public transport, education, sanitation, power, and water supply remain unaffected, stressing that the agitation must remain peaceful and confined to workplaces.

Meanwhile, the state government has defended its position, with government spokesperson and minister KG Kenye stating that the IAS induction process being followed aligns with long-standing administrative conventions. He said that including at least one non-Nagaland Civil Service officer in the list of recommendations has been a consistent practice for decades.

“This is the first time such opposition has arisen to the inclusion of even one non-NCS officer,” Kenye said, asserting that the state has not violated any guidelines. He urged the JCC to reconsider its stance and restore normalcy in the larger public interest, noting that the government would await observations from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) before taking further steps.

The current phase marks the fourth escalation of the JCC’s agitation since its launch on September 25, underscoring the deepening standoff between the state government and its employees over the contentious IAS induction process.