Mizoram Government Dismisses Employees for Proxy Hiring Practices

Mizoram's Crackdown on Proxy Employment

Aizawl, Feb 24: The Mizoram administration has dismissed 29 individuals from various departments for unlawfully employing "proxies" to fulfill their job responsibilities, as announced by K Sapdanga, the state’s Personnel and Administrative Reforms Minister, during an assembly session on Tuesday.

This action is a response to Chief Minister Lalduhoma's directive aimed at abolishing the long-standing practice where government employees pay substitutes to take their place at work.

Minister Sapdanga disclosed that disciplinary measures were taken against 37 employees who breached service regulations.

"In total, 37 employees faced penalties for engaging proxy or substitute workers. Out of these, 29 were terminated, while the other eight received lesser penalties," Sapdanga stated while addressing assembly members.

He added that these disciplinary actions have been documented in their Annual Confidential Reports (ACR), which could adversely affect their future career opportunities.

The extent of the "proxy culture" was highlighted following a government order issued in December 2023.

After taking office, the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government pledged to eliminate this illegal practice and instructed employees utilizing proxies to report themselves to their department heads by January 2024.

Official statistics reveal that over 3,600 employees acknowledged hiring substitute workers. The School Education department recorded the highest number of proxies at 1,115, followed by the health department with 624 and the power and electricity department with 253.

More than 2,000 employees cited health issues, while 703 mentioned domestic challenges as reasons for employing proxies. Other factors included inadequate housing in rural areas, difficulties accessing remote villages, and language barriers.

In June 2024, the government mandated that all such employees must report to their designated postings within 45 days of the notification. In March of the previous year, Lalduhoma informed the assembly that there were no reports of proxy hiring following the government’s directive.

The Chief Minister also announced a voluntary retirement option for employees deemed unfit to perform their duties due to various reasons, under the newly launched “Special Voluntary Retirement Scheme.”

As per the Mizoram Special Voluntary Retirement Scheme, 2024, which was notified in January 2025, regular employees under the CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972, who have not completed a minimum of twenty years of service, along with those under the Mizoram New Defined Contributory System, 2010, may apply for voluntary retirement.

Officials estimate that the total number of government employees in Mizoram ranges from 45,000 to 50,000.