The Hindu : Front Page : Posts for backward communities lying vacant

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Posts for backward communities lying vacant

N.J. Nair

1,200 reserved vacancies in government service
Procedural wrangles hinder PSC

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Procedural wrangles are believed to have hindered the Public Service Commission (PSC) from filling up 1,200 vacancies reserved for backward communities in government service.

Sources in the commission told The Hindu here on Saturday that amendments made in February 2006 to the Kerala State and Subordinate Services Rules were one of the main hindrances for time-bound recruitments. Earlier, the reserved vacancies were filled up on rotation.

On failing to get a candidate for the post reserved for one community, another candidate from the next eligible community on the rank list used to be recruited. The community which had lost the chance would be allotted a vacancy in the next recruitment. This system had been working well and ensured that all communities enjoying the benefits of reservation got their due, sources said.

Following the amendments, the system has changed — if an eligible candidate is unavailable for a turn reserved for one community, the commission will now have to re-notify the vacancy at least twice and leave it open till getting an appropriate candidate from the same community.

The commission has issued 220 notifications for various posts during the past two years and is getting ready to issue 100 more soon. Still, the 1,200 posts remain vacant. The 220 notifications have been issued in addition to the 750 notifications the commission issues almost routinely annually.

Issuing a notification is cumbersome and time-consuming. It takes almost a year to complete the formalities and even crucial posts remain vacant during the period. Increasing the number of candidates on the supplementary list for each post following the amendments has been cited as another reason for slowing down the recruitment process. Even if corrective measures are taken, it can take at least two years to clear the backlog. In the long run, this delay will affect the promotion prospects and the seniority of those joining service. The government has not taken any action so far to expedite the process.

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