Government steps up push to fill backlog vacancies for Scheduled Castes, Tribes

New Delhi: The Centre has directed all ministries to form reservation committees, appoint officers to identify vacancies, conduct special recruitment drives and train officers to ensure that reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in government jobs is implemented and all backlog vacancies are filled.

With the implementation of the reservation policy coming under parliamentary scrutiny, the department of personnel and training (DoPT) has told all central ministries and government departments to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of a joint secretary rank officer to fill up reserved vacancies in a time-bound manner.

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This reservation committee, as per the directive, should hold regular meetings and identify reserved vacancies before they arise. Each ministry is required to appoint a liaison officer, at least of the rank of deputy secretary, to oversee implementation of the reservation policy in the department.

DoPT has directed that the liaison officer should ensure that the reservation rosters are being implemented strictly. The officer, who is responsible for implementation of the reservation policy in the ministry and the allied organisation, should undertake regular visits to the organisations and inspect the reservation rosters. The Centre has also mandated that the officers responsible for implementation of reservation policy should undergo formal training and complete modules on offer on the government's iGOT platform.

DoPT is holding review meetings with all ministries. The data collated for the parliamentary committee on welfare of SCs/ STs has been reviewing the policy of reservation in appointments and has stressed on implementation of the reservation policy so that the reserved categories persons get adequate representation in the services.

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According to data collated for the committee, reserved vacancies arise when SC/ ST candidates get promotion "on own merit". "The non-availability of SC/ST candidates for appointment against reserved vacancies due to promotion of SC/ST candidates on own merit should not be the reason for continuing unfilled reserved vacancies. The ministries should ensure that representation of reserved category persons is ensured at all levels, " the ministries have been told in a written directive.