Big shortfall in hiring of ex-servicemen across govt depts, posts: Data
WHILE THE Centre has announced 10% quota for Agniveers in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), Ministry of Defence and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), official records show a big shortfall in the number of ex-servicemen recruited in government jobs as compared to the vacancies reserved for them.
Consider these figures, based on the latest data (as on June 30, 2021) available with the Directorate General Resettlement (DGR), under the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence:
* While 10% Group C posts and 20% Group D posts are reserved for ex-servicemen in Central government departments, they constituted only 1.29% of the overall strength in Group C and 2.66% in Group D across 34 of the 77 Central government departments which shared the data with the DGR.
Of the 10,84,705 Group C employees in the 34 Central government departments, only 13,976 were ex-servicemen. And of the total 3,25,265 Group D employees, only 8,642 were ex-servicemen.
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Premium* There is a 10% quota for ex-servicemen in direct recruitment up to the level of assistant commandant in the CAPF/ CPMF (Central Para Military Forces). But, of the overall strength of the CAPFs/ CPMFs as on June 30, 2021, ex-servicemen accounted for only 0.47% in Group C (4,146 of total 8,81,397); 0.87% in Group B (539 of 61,650); and 2.20% in Group A (1,687 of 76,681).
While the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Assam Rifles provided data to the DGR, the National Security Guard (NSG) did not submit its report till May 15, 2021.
* In Central PSUs, the quota for ex-servicemen is fixed at 14.5% in Group C posts and 24.5% in Group D posts. But, according to the DGR, ex-servicemen constituted only 1.15% (3,138 of the total 2,72,848) of the Group C strength, and 0.3% (404 of 1,34,733) of the Group D strength in 94 of the 170 CPSUs which submitted the data.
* Public Sector Banks, where the reservation for ex-servicemen is fixed at 14.5% for direct recruitment in Group C and 24.5% in Group D, reported slightly higher figures. Ex-servicemen accounted for 9.10% (24,733 of the total 2,71,741) in Group C and 21.34% (22,839 of the total 1,07,009) in Group D across 13 PSBs.
The issue of shortfall in recruitment of ex-servicemen has been raised at several meetings in the past. The latest meeting was held on June 2, chaired by Secretary, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, and attended by senior defence ministry officials and liaison officers appointed by various ministries/ departments for implementation of the reservation policy for ex-servicemen.
According to records of the meeting, the Directorate General Resettlement stated that “efforts should be made to increase the representation of ESM (ex-servicemen)” in government departments by way of filling the authorised ESM vacancies.
“DG(R) said that LOs are requested to monitor that the ESM vacancies are duly mentioned in the job circulars/advertisement going to be published for direct recruitment or recruitment through recruiting agencies,” said the minutes of the meeting.
“Liaison Officer, DoP&T raised the need for coordinated efforts between training section (for ESM) and recruitment agencies in order to assess the need of the current job market requirements and train the ESM accordingly, as there are some vacancies lying vacant due to non-availability of candidates who possess the relevant skill for that particular job,” said the minutes.
“Secy, ESW and DG(R) acknowledged the matter and assured that due importance will be given to it and will try to launch new courses which will impart the necessary skills to ESM and also submitted that recruiting agencies should also take cognizance of trade equation certificates issued at the time of discharge from the service,” said the minutes.
DGR sources listed the major reasons for non-selection of ex-servicemen for government jobs as: “Adequate number of ESM are not applying for these posts, adequate number of ESM are not qualifying for these posts, and DoPT (Department of Personnel & Training) orders regarding relaxed standards of selection are not being implemented by organisations.”
As on June 30, 2021, the number of ex-servicemen stood at 26,39,020 – including 22,93,378 from Army, 1,38,108 from Navy and 2,07,534 from Air Force.
