The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has welcomed the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission’s decision to make a Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC), Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (APST) certificate and proficiency in an indigenous tribal language mandatory for candidates applying for 155 Group-A and Group-B gazetted technical posts.
The new eligibility conditions have been included in the APPSC advertisement for the Common Recruitment Examination for Group-A and Group-B Gazetted (Technical) Posts-2026 (Part-I).
The recruitment exercise covers vacancies in the agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and veterinary, and textiles and handicraft departments.
The new provisions follow the state government’s decision to introduce uniform eligibility criteria for direct recruitment to government posts. The state Cabinet approved the criteria on August 13, while the Administrative Reforms and Training Department issued a notification on August 26 making a valid PRC, APST certificate and knowledge of an indigenous tribal language mandatory for direct recruitment to Group-A, Group-B and Group-C posts.
AAPSU president Meje Taku welcomed the APPSC advertisement and said the decision addressed a long-standing demand concerning recruitment to government services in the state.
“This is what our people have been demanding for years — that recruitment into government service must first protect the sons and daughters of this soil. We welcome this decision by the APPSC and the state government,” Taku said.
However, Taku said the criteria should not be limited to the current recruitment exercise and should instead be applied consistently in all future recruitment examinations.
“This is only Part-I. Our hope, and our expectation, is that this standard becomes the norm for every recruitment examination, in every department, going forward,” he said.
AAPSU general secretary Tator Mato Bui said the inclusion of PRC, APST and indigenous language requirements was in line with the students’ body’s 13-point memorandum submitted to Chief Minister Pema Khandu. He said the demands were also raised during the union’s subsequent engagement with the high-powered committee examining recruitment-related issues.
The students’ body said it would continue to monitor the implementation of the new provisions and urged the state government and recruiting agencies to ensure that the eligibility conditions are applied uniformly in future recruitment exercises.
The August 26 government notification directs recruiting agencies, including the APPSC and Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB), to incorporate the new eligibility requirements in recruitment advertisements and relevant service rules.
