The Rising People’s Party (RPP) has strongly criticized the NDPP-BJP coalition government in Nagaland over alleged “backdoor” appointments to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). In a sharply worded statement, the party accused the government of bypassing established procedures and “throwing every rule book into the dustbin” by arbitrarily inducting individuals into the IAS cadre.
The RPP highlighted the crucial distinction between “cadre” and “ex-cadre” officials, emphasizing that cadre officers typically enter the system through constitutional and competitive processes like the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC). In contrast, many ex-cadre employees are political appointees lacking transparent recruitment, the party alleged—raising concerns that such practices erode meritocracy and institutional integrity.
Citing past warnings from organizations such as CANSSEA, FONSESA, NSSA, and NF&ASA, the RPP pointed to a previous instance where a candidate allegedly entered the IAS through opaque means, which went unnoticed due to a lack of public scrutiny and an inactive opposition at the time.
Now that the matter has come under public attention, the RPP has demanded the disclosure of the individual’s name who is reportedly being favored politically. It has also called on relevant associations to clarify whether the candidate was initially appointed through an ex-cadre route.
Describing the episode as a glaring example of manipulation under an “oppositionless government,” the RPP expressed solidarity with the dissenting associations and reiterated its commitment to ensuring that only deserving, qualified individuals are inducted into the civil service.
