The Central Government has announced that over four lakh backlog vacancies reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) candidates have been filled since 2016. Union Minister of State for Personnel Dr. Jitendra Singh provided this information in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. He stated that the occurrence and filling of backlog reserved vacancies is a continuous process, carried out through special recruitment drives.
The minister informed that, as of January 1, 2024, the number of employees from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes across various ministries and departments stands at 5,47,000, 2,82,000, and 8,55,000, respectively. He further noted that the representation of SC and ST employees adheres to the prescribed reservation limits of 15 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively. Additionally, over the past decade, the representation of OBCs in direct recruitment has consistently exceeded 27 percent.
The government has emphasized the importance of special recruitment drives to address backlog vacancies. These vacancies refer to reserved positions left unfilled during the previous year’s direct recruitment process, which are carried forward to subsequent recruitment cycles. Dr. Singh mentioned that all ministries and departments have been directed to establish internal committees to identify such backlog vacancies, analyze their root causes, and implement measures to address these issues. Subsequently, these vacancies are filled through special recruitment campaigns.
Furthermore, the government has mandated the appointment of a liaison officer in each ministry and department. This officer, at the rank of Under Secretary or above, is responsible for ensuring compliance with orders and guidelines related to reservations. Additionally, every ministry and department has been instructed to set up a dedicated reservation cell under the liaison officer’s direct supervision to assist in addressing reservation-related matters.
This initiative underscores the Central Government’s commitment to ensuring adequate representation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes in public employment and effectively implementing reservation policies.
