http://www.thehindu.com/2010/04/16/stories/2010041657770100.htm
Front Page Huge backlog in SC/ST recruitments in State Girish Menon 1,160 vacancies to be filled as on January 31; largest number of vacancies in Health Department The figure may be even more after March 31 The backlog is despite special recruitment drives THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State government is grappling with a huge backlog in the appointment of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates to various vacancies in the government. The total number of vacancies to be filled from among these communities is 1,160 as on January 31 this year. The number is likely to be even bigger after the introduction of uniform retirement age. The government has been making appointments to the reserved posts through special recruitment drives for the Scheduled Castes and the Schedule Tribes. In addition, a special recruitment drive exclusively for the Scheduled Tribes is also currently on. Every month, the department concerned evaluates the progress reports submitted by 82 government departments and takes appropriate corrective action. Progress report According to official figures available with the General Administration Department, the number of vacancies remaining to be filled through special recruitment from among the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes was 548, including 110 gazetted posts, 253 non-gazetted posts, and 185 last grade posts. The total number of vacancies to be filled through special recruitment from among the Scheduled Tribes exclusively was 612, including 155 gazetted, 332 non-gazetted and 125 last grade posts. According to the General Administration Department's progress report, the departments of Agriculture, Fisheries, Homoeopathy, Higher Secondary Education, Industrial Training, Public Instruction, Tourism and Treasuries had failed to submit status reports on time about Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe vacancies. The largest number of vacancies for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes was reported from the Health Department at 172 (mostly last grade posts), followed by the Higher Secondary Education Department and the Agriculture Department at 91 and 65 respectively. In the case of the HSE Department, 55 gazetted and 36 non-gazetted posts were lying vacant. Among the vacancies reserved exclusively for the Scheduled Tribes, the Health Department accounted for 111 vacancies, all of which came under the last grade category. This was followed by the Department of Public Instruction, under which 101 of the 103 vacancies came under the non-gazetted category. Practice The usual practice is to compile these vacancies and report them to the Public Service Commission for special recruitment. Official figures show that there has not been much progress in recruitment to these vacancies for some time now. Official sources said the backlog would grow unless the State government paid more attention to the process.
