In the backdrop of unemployment at 45-year high, over 6.83 lakh vacant posts in central govt departments

There were over 6.83 lakh vacant posts in different central government departments, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Citing annual report of pay and research unit of the department of expenditure, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to the lower house that out of the total of 38,02,779 sanctioned strength, 31,18,956 employees were in position, as on March 1, 2018.

There were 6,83,823 vacant posts as on March 1, 2018, it said.

"Vacancies in the central government are caused due to retirement, resignation, death, promotion etc. and the posts falling vacant are required to be filled as per recruitment rules by the concerned ministries/departments/ organisations," the minister said.

He said, filling up of vacant posts is a continuous process depending on the vacancies arising across ministries/departments during the year and action calendar of the recruiting agencies.

During the current year 2019-20, three recruiting agencies namely, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) have made recommendations for recruitment to around 1.34 lakh posts.

A highest of 1,16,391 recommendations were made by the RRB, 13,995 by SSC and 4,399 by UPSC, the reply said.

Further, recruiting agencies like SSC, RRB, Postal Service Board and Ministry of Defence are in process of filling up of 3,10,832 vacant posts, including 27,652 vacant posts of defence civilians, the reply said.

Recently, all ministries/departments have been requested to take time bound action to fill the existing vacancies in various ministries/departments and their attached/subordinate offices, the reply said.

"To reduce the recruitment cycle, recruiting agencies have switched over to computer based online test, interview for non-gazetted posts has been discontinued and provisional appointment is being made pending verification of antecedents of the candidates," it said.