SHILLONG — A Garo organisation has taken the fight over the Khasi-only language requirement in District Selection Committee (DSC) recruitment to the state government, seeking Garo as an examination option for candidates in the Khasi Hills.
John Sangma, General Secretary of the All Khasi Hills Achick Joint Action Committee (AKHJAC), said Garo should be available alongside Khasi in DSC examinations, arguing that both communities are permanent residents of Meghalaya.
“Garo language should be implemented in any district. It should not be only Khasi language, because Garo and Khasi are permanent residents of Meghalaya,” Sangma said.
The demand comes after the government’s January 2026 recruitment framework prescribed a Khasi qualifying paper in Khasi-Jaintia Hills districts and a Garo paper in Garo Hills districts. Garo residents in the Khasi Hills have since challenged the compulsory Khasi requirement, saying many can speak Khasi but may not be able to read and write it adequately. Sangma said the community was not seeking to remove Khasi from the recruitment process.
“We don’t mind that in Garo Hills also that Khasi language, they can write in any selection. But the problem here… if you see the Garo population in Khasi Hills, there are more than 4 lakhs, 5 lakhs,” he said.
He accused the government provision of disadvantaging Garo residents living in the Khasi Hills.
“What we want, the government should understand the sentiments of the Garo community which is residing in the Khasi Hills region. This act… the government has directly or indirectly discriminated against the Garo community,” Sangma said.
The issue gained wider public attention after more than 2,000 Garo residents gathered at Mallangkona in West Khasi Hills on September 19, demanding that Garo be included as an alternative language for DSC recruitment. Organisers said they did not oppose Khasi being offered in the examination. Sangma said the AKHJAC delegation subsequently met the Chief Secretary at the Secretariat, who described the matter as serious and assured them that it would be examined.
The delegation was also directed to meet Isawada Laloo, who is handling DSC-related matters. “So we met Madam Isa and she has given a very positive response,” Sangma said.
He said officials had not given a timeframe but indicated that the matter remained under examination.
The organisation is now preparing to take the issue deeper into Garo-inhabited areas of the Khasi Hills. Sangma said a public meeting had already been held at Mallangkona, with another planned at Shallang next month.
“We are planning to meet all 21 Garo MLAs and even the Khasi MLAs also, and we will discuss regarding this issue. We will seek support from the Khasi MLAs also and from all 21 Garo MLAs,” he said.
AKHJAC plans to hold further meetings in Khasi-Garo villages while seeking legislative support for its demand for a Garo language option in DSC recruitment.
