The Crossbill News Desk
More than one in every five sanctioned posts across the Union government's civilian establishments was lying vacant as of March 1, 2024, an RTI response has revealed, underlining the scale of unfilled government jobs at a time when unemployment and recruitment have become major concerns for young people across the country.
According to the data provided by the Department of Expenditure's Pay Research Unit, 8,23,656 posts were vacant against a total sanctioned strength of 39,23,212 across central government civilian establishments. Only 30,99,556 employees were actually in position.
The figures, obtained through an RTI application filed by Neemuch-based activist Chandra Shekhar Gaur, cover a vast range of government establishments, from the Railways and Defence Ministry to the President's Secretariat and the Prime Minister's Office. The data, however, does not include vacancies in public sector banks or public sector undertakings.
"These figures are worrying at a time of rising unemployment. Government jobs are the right of the youth. The government should begin the process of filling these vacant posts on the highest priority and in mission mode. This will provide employment to young people and also improve departmental efficiency," Gaur told NDTV.
In its response dated August 19, the Pay Research Unit said the latest available group-wise and status-wise estimated strength of regular central government civilian employees was as on March 1, 2024. The ministry and department-wise figures show a substantial gap between sanctioned manpower and the number of employees actually working in government establishments.
The Ministry of Defence recorded the highest number of vacancies, with 2,41,643 posts unfilled against a sanctioned strength of 5,56,248. The Railways was close behind, with 2,40,125 vacancies. Against 14,79,701 sanctioned posts, the Railways had 12,39,576 employees in position.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had 1,10,885 vacancies against 11,18,233 sanctioned posts, while the Department of Posts had 61,546 posts lying vacant out of a sanctioned strength of 2,53,124.
Several smaller ministries and departments also showed strikingly high vacancy rates. Animal Husbandry and Dairying had 57.7% of its sanctioned posts vacant, while the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change had around 38% vacancies. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare had about 34% of its sanctioned positions unfilled.
The shortage of personnel was visible even in offices at the highest levels of the government. The President's Secretariat had 803 sanctioned posts, but only 516 employees were in position, leaving 287 posts vacant — or 35.74% of its total strength. The Prime Minister's Office had 441 sanctioned posts and 315 employees in position, resulting in 126 vacancies, or 28.57%.
The disclosure comes against the backdrop of protests and growing public anger over employment and education-related issues in different parts of the country, including recent demonstrations in New Delhi, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday (August 24) seized on the RTI figures to accuse the Modi government of deliberately keeping posts vacant and thereby weakening opportunities for candidates from marginalised communities who are entitled to reservations.
Sharing a ministry-wise breakdown of the vacancies on X, Kharge highlighted the number vacant posts revealed in the RTI response.
“The Modi government has hatched a plan to end reservations through the back door! The question is not just about employment, but about social justice. Keep government posts vacant, and the opportunity for reservations ends,” Kharge said.
Kharge also alleged that 5.1 lakh permanent jobs had been eliminated in public sector undertakings (PSUs) and that the proportion of contractual workers had increased from 19% to 49%.
“To end reservations, it is not necessary to amend the Constitution — just eliminating jobs with reservations is enough,” Kharge said.
With more than 8.23 lakh sanctioned posts remaining unfilled, the RTI data has brought renewed attention to the contradiction between the continuing demand for government employment and the large number of positions that already exist on paper but remain vacant.
According to the data provided by the Department of Expenditure's Pay Research Unit, 8,23,656 posts were vacant against a total sanctioned strength of 39,23,212 across central government civilian establishments. Only 30,99,556 employees were actually in position.
The figures, obtained through an RTI application filed by Neemuch-based activist Chandra Shekhar Gaur, cover a vast range of government establishments, from the Railways and Defence Ministry to the President's Secretariat and the Prime Minister's Office. The data, however, does not include vacancies in public sector banks or public sector undertakings.
"These figures are worrying at a time of rising unemployment. Government jobs are the right of the youth. The government should begin the process of filling these vacant posts on the highest priority and in mission mode. This will provide employment to young people and also improve departmental efficiency," Gaur told NDTV.
In its response dated August 19, the Pay Research Unit said the latest available group-wise and status-wise estimated strength of regular central government civilian employees was as on March 1, 2024. The ministry and department-wise figures show a substantial gap between sanctioned manpower and the number of employees actually working in government establishments.
The Ministry of Defence recorded the highest number of vacancies, with 2,41,643 posts unfilled against a sanctioned strength of 5,56,248. The Railways was close behind, with 2,40,125 vacancies. Against 14,79,701 sanctioned posts, the Railways had 12,39,576 employees in position.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had 1,10,885 vacancies against 11,18,233 sanctioned posts, while the Department of Posts had 61,546 posts lying vacant out of a sanctioned strength of 2,53,124.
Several smaller ministries and departments also showed strikingly high vacancy rates. Animal Husbandry and Dairying had 57.7% of its sanctioned posts vacant, while the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change had around 38% vacancies. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare had about 34% of its sanctioned positions unfilled.
The shortage of personnel was visible even in offices at the highest levels of the government. The President's Secretariat had 803 sanctioned posts, but only 516 employees were in position, leaving 287 posts vacant — or 35.74% of its total strength. The Prime Minister's Office had 441 sanctioned posts and 315 employees in position, resulting in 126 vacancies, or 28.57%.
The disclosure comes against the backdrop of protests and growing public anger over employment and education-related issues in different parts of the country, including recent demonstrations in New Delhi, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday (August 24) seized on the RTI figures to accuse the Modi government of deliberately keeping posts vacant and thereby weakening opportunities for candidates from marginalised communities who are entitled to reservations.
Sharing a ministry-wise breakdown of the vacancies on X, Kharge highlighted the number vacant posts revealed in the RTI response.
“The Modi government has hatched a plan to end reservations through the back door! The question is not just about employment, but about social justice. Keep government posts vacant, and the opportunity for reservations ends,” Kharge said.
Kharge also alleged that 5.1 lakh permanent jobs had been eliminated in public sector undertakings (PSUs) and that the proportion of contractual workers had increased from 19% to 49%.
“To end reservations, it is not necessary to amend the Constitution — just eliminating jobs with reservations is enough,” Kharge said.
With more than 8.23 lakh sanctioned posts remaining unfilled, the RTI data has brought renewed attention to the contradiction between the continuing demand for government employment and the large number of positions that already exist on paper but remain vacant.
Comments (0)
Leave a Comment