Mizoram Government Takes Strict Action Against Employees Hiring Substitutes
In a significant move to enforce workplace integrity, the Mizoram government has disciplined 37 state employees for engaging substitutes to perform their official duties. The revelation came from K Sapdanga, Minister for Personnel & Administrative Reforms (DP&AR), during a session of the state legislative assembly on Tuesday.
Severe Consequences for Proxy Hiring
Of the 37 employees facing disciplinary measures, 29 have had their services terminated completely, marking a zero-tolerance approach to this longstanding practice. The remaining eight employees received minor punishments that have been formally recorded in their Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs). Minister Sapdanga emphasized that such entries could substantially impact their future career advancement and service prospects within the government system.
The responsibility for monitoring whether employees continue to engage proxies falls squarely on department secretaries, heads of departments, and controlling authorities across various government branches. This accountability framework aims to prevent recurrence of the practice through vigilant supervision.
ZPM Government's Systematic Crackdown
After assuming power in late 2023, the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government declared its firm intention to eliminate the entrenched practice of government employees hiring substitutes. Following through on this commitment, the DP&AR issued an official memorandum on June 19, 2024, explicitly prohibiting the engagement of proxies across all government departments.
Data collected in January 2025 revealed the startling scale of the problem: 3,365 employees across 44 different departments were found to be engaging substitutes. The reasons cited by these employees varied significantly, with 2,070 claiming health issues, 703 pointing to family problems, and 350 mentioning personal issues as justification for their actions.
Disturbing Findings and Unique Cases
Among the most concerning discoveries was that nine proxies continued working even after the deaths of the employees who had originally engaged them, highlighting systemic failures in oversight and accountability. The investigation also uncovered specific cultural and religious dimensions to the practice.
Six wives of pastors—three each in the School Education Department and the Health & Family Welfare Department—were hiring substitutes because major church denominations including the Presbyterian, Baptist, and United Pentecostal Church (UPC) prohibit pastors' spouses from holding government employment. This created a unique dilemma for these women who sought to maintain family income while adhering to religious restrictions.
Some employees admitted to engaging proxies specifically to pursue religious work such as evangelism, while others cited various personal challenges. The data showed 80 employees with mental health issues, 75 who lacked proficiency in local languages, 19 struggling with alcoholism, and 20 dealing with drug addiction among those hiring substitutes.
Age Manipulation and Pension Evasion
A particularly troubling subset involved at least 32 employees who admitted to hiring proxies because they had already crossed 60 years of age but had not yet availed pensions, having falsified their dates of birth in official records. This manipulation allowed them to continue receiving salaries while avoiding mandatory retirement, with substitutes performing their actual duties.
The Mizoram government's comprehensive action against proxy hiring represents a significant administrative reform effort aimed at restoring accountability and efficiency in public service delivery. The disciplinary measures send a clear message about the state's commitment to ethical governance practices.
