All departments asked to identify backlog reserved vacancies: Govt

New Delhi: All central government ministries and departments have been asked to form an in-house committee for the identification of backlog reserved vacancies and fill them through special recruitment drives, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said the occurrence and filling of vacancies, along with backlog reserved vacancies, is a continuous process.

"Instructions have been issued to all ministries/departments of the central government to constitute an in-house committee for identification of backlog reserved vacancies, to study the root cause of such vacancies, to initiate measures to remove the factors causing such vacancies and to fill them up through special recruitment drives," Singh said.

Each ministry/department of the central government is required to designate an officer of the rank of deputy secretary and above, as liaison officer, to ensure due compliance with the orders and instructions about reservation, he said.

"Further, each ministry/department is required to set up a special reservation cell under the direct control of the liaison officer to assist her/him in the discharge of duties," the minister said.

In response to another question, he said reservation in posts and services under the central government is provided to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Communities communities at 15 per cent, 7.5 per cent and 27 per cent respectively on direct recruitment on all India basis by open competition.

"In the matter of promotion, the reservation is provided to SC and ST at 15 per cent and 7.5 per cent respectively," the minister said.

To a query seeking details of the action plan taken/being taken by the government to fill up vacancies in central government and public sector undertakings, Singh said ministries/departments of the central government have been directed, from time to time, to fill up vacant posts in a time bound manner.

"Vacant posts have been filled up in mission mode in Rozgar Mela launched by the prime minister on 22nd October 2022. Twelve Rozgar Melas have been held at central level at 45-50 cities across the various states/Union Territories," he said.