Mizo Zirlai Pawl Demands Reforms Amid Protest in Aizawl
Protest for Administrative Reforms
Members of Mizo Zirlai Pawl outside the MOSC office in Aizawl, on Monday. (AT Photo)
Aizawl, Aug 10: On Monday, a large group of Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), a prominent student organization, gathered outside the Mizoram Public Service Commission (MPSC) office to demand significant reforms in administration and recruitment processes.
The demonstrators effectively blocked access to the MPSC office, preventing staff and officials from entering. The protest was mostly peaceful, although there was a brief confrontation between police and some protesters when officials attempted to enter the building.
The MZP is advocating for structural changes and an increase in personnel to enhance the commission's efficiency and credibility.
They expressed concerns that ongoing administrative failures in recent recruitment efforts have eroded the trust of job seekers and raised issues regarding the One Time Registration (OTR) system.
Additionally, the organization is requesting a one-time chance for candidates who were disqualified due to incomplete OTR document submissions to provide the necessary documents offline, especially for those who passed written tests but were disqualified during the verification process.
Dr. C Lalremruata, president of MZP, stated that the organization would escalate its protests until their demands are addressed.
In response, MPSC officials defended the OTR system, asserting that it was designed to streamline recruitment applications and promote fairness in public employment.
They explained that the OTR allows candidates to input their personal information and upload required documents just once, which can then be automatically retrieved for future job applications.
Officials also noted that since OTR is widely adopted by State Public Service Commissions nationwide, there is no reason to abolish the system or create a new process for offline document submissions.
According to MPSC, approximately 50,000 applications were processed in 2025-26, with over 20,000 applications already handled in 2026-27.
It is estimated that only about 500 candidates might have been impacted by incomplete OTR document uploads or late submissions.
Some candidates whose applications were rejected due to these issues have approached the Aizawl bench of the Gauhati High Court, and officials indicated that altering the current procedure while the case is pending would be inappropriate.
The MZP has been voicing its concerns to the commission since June of the previous year regarding the challenges faced by candidates.
While the organization supports the OTR concept, they argue that the current system lacks user-friendliness and has caused confusion among applicants due to insufficient guidance on document uploads.