More than 60 lakh vacancies in Centre, state govts, PSUs: commission

The report said that it was very clear that the government sector employment was just 2%

The Justice H N Nagamohan Das Commission has observed that disinvestment programmes by governments, contract and outsourcing of labour system and non-filling of backlog vacancies in the country had spelt death knell to SC/ST communities, making social justice irrelevant.

“There are more than 60 lakh vacancies in the union government, public sector undertakings (PSUs) and all state governments in the country. About 30.75 lakh posts are lying vacant in the union government and 2.39 lakh posts are vacant in Karnataka alone,” the Commission said in its report that led to the increase in the SC/ST reservation.

The report added that if all these vacancies (60 lakh) are filled, then the SC/ST communities would get 15 lakh jobs. “SC/ST communities' combined share of population in the country is 25 per cent,” it said.

The report said that agriculture sector accounted for highest share of employment in the country’s economy. The sector employs nearly 53 per cent of the total job market in the country. The manufacturing and construction sector each account for 11 per cent, whereas service sector like trade, transport, hospitality and education account for 9 per cent, 4 per cent, 3 per cent and 2 per cent, respectively, and other sectors employ about 5 per cent.

“The total share of government and public sector employment is just 2 per cent across the country. Therefore employment opportunities available for the SC/ST category is negligible,” the report said.

The report further said that it was very clear that the government sector employment was just 2 per cent. Besides, with the Supreme Court fixing 50 per cent cap on reservation, the employment opportunity available to the SC, ST and the OBCs is just 1 per cent.

“In this background the SC and the ST communities find it very difficult to get their legitimate share in the available jobs in the government sector. Besides, these communities are deprived of reservation in employment due to policies like disinvestment programmes by governments, contract and outsourcing labour system and non-filling of backlog vacancies in the country,” the report said.

According to the report, after the onset of liberalised economy since 1991, reducing the scope of public sector has become a policy of union government under its disinvestment programme.

“Selling many public sectors units to private entities has become a new norm. This has assumed huge proportions in recent years. Union government in its budget 2020-21 has proposed to withdraw Rs 2.11 lakh crore from the PSUs, is the case in point,” the report said.

As per 2018 data sourced by the Commission, 30.75 lakh posts are vacant:

Union government, railways, boards and banks - 7,21,665

Higher Education - 1,60,688

Primary/Secondary Education - 10,08,005

Health - 4,45,675

Police and Defence - 1,95,939

State police forces - 5,38,237

Judiciary - 5,525