New Delhi: In a significant step towards improving representation and inclusivity, the Union Government has successfully filled over 400,000 backlog vacancies reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) since 2016. The announcement was made by Union Minister of State for Personnel, Jitendra Singh, during a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
The Minister emphasized that the process of accruing and filling vacancies, including those in reserved categories, is an ongoing activity. To ensure effective management of backlog reserved vacancies, the central government has issued instructions to all ministries and departments to establish in-house committees. These committees are tasked with identifying the backlog, analyzing the reasons for these vacancies, and implementing measures to address them.
Highlighting the measures taken, Minister Singh stated that special recruitment drives have been launched across ministries to expedite the filling of backlog reserved vacancies. Additionally, every ministry/department has been instructed to appoint a Liaison Officer of Deputy Secretary level or above. These officers ensure compliance with reservation policies and oversee the implementation of directives related to reservation.
Furthermore, each ministry/department has been required to establish a special reservation cell under the direct control of the Liaison Officer. These cells assist in addressing the factors contributing to vacancies and facilitate the time-bound filling of posts.
The Minister clarified that while broad directives are issued by the central government, the details of specific vacancies are maintained by the respective government organizations under their concerned ministries or departments.
“The ministries and departments of the central government have been directed from time to time to fill up vacant posts promptly,” Singh added.
