The Government of Nagaland has notified that 1,313 members of the Rongmei tribe permanently settled in the State, together with their direct descendants, may be issued Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates — but only for specified central benefits, the State Home Department said in a notification dated May 8, 2026. The certificates will be valid solely for claiming reservation benefits in Central Government employment and admission to central educational institutions.
The notification makes clear that the ST certificate “shall not entitle the said 1,313 members of the Rongmei Tribe and their direct descendants to any reservation, concession or benefits specifically reserved for the Scheduled Tribes indigenous to the State of Nagaland.” The decision follows cabinet approval on February 26, 2026, and a subsequent communication from the Cabinet Secretariat on March 12, 2026. The order is appended by Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen and Principal Secretary (Home) Abhijit Sinha, and is stated to override any earlier state notifications on the matter.
Those eligible are members of the Rongmei community who were enumerated and compiled by a state government committee constituted on September 28, 2007, in Kohima, Peren and the erstwhile undivided Dimapur district, together with their direct descendants. The notification says the move is based on the Rongmei’s recognition as a Scheduled Tribe in the neighbouring State of Manipur and on their permanent settlement in Nagaland.
Eligible applicants have been asked to apply for ST certificates to the respective Deputy Commissioners of Kohima, Peren and the erstwhile undivided Dimapur district (including Chümoukedima and Niuland). Certificates will be issued only after due verification by the concerned Deputy Commissioners, and applicants must apply in the district where their names were originally enumerated in 2007.
The notification warns that any person found to have obtained, or attempting to obtain, a certificate through misrepresentation or fraud will face cancellation of the certificate and prosecution under applicable laws. The Deputy Commissioner is empowered to cancel certificates after inquiry, and appeals against such cancellations may be made to the Commissioner, Nagaland.
Original Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/nagaland-govt-notifies-st-certificates-for-1313-rongmei-families-with-caveat
Category: Nagaland
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Publish Date: 2026-05-09 22:46:00
