Panel to look into backlog in filling up of reserved vacancies

The Centre today formed a 20-member committee headed by the secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to make in-depth analysis of the reasons for backlog in filling up of reserved vacancies.

The committee, which will submit its report within a period of three months, has been asked to suggest measures to enhance the employability of reserved category candidates, said a release from the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

“The government had launched a Special Recruitment Drive (SRD) to fill up the backlog reserved vacancies of the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in November, 2008. Progress of the drive was reviewed in July, 2011 and it was decided to re-launch the drive so as to fill up the remaining identified backlog vacancies by 31st March, 2012,” the release said. In the next review in May 2013, it was found that out of a total of 64,175 backlog vacancies (DR quota and Promotion quota) which could be filled up, 48,034 vacancies were filled up, indicating overall success rate of the drive at about 75 percent.

“The analysis of data and consultation with various ministries indicated that lack of finishing skills or interview skills, less availability of professionally qualified persons, less identification of posts for Persons with Disabilities, dearth of professionally qualified persons especially in hearing impaired category of disability etc. are some of the reasons for less employability of SCs, STs, OBCs and PWDs in government sector,” the release said.

The committee members are from Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Personnel & Training, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Ministry of Railways, UPSC, SSC, Railway Recruitment Board and other Central government bodies.