Daijiworld Media Network - Bhopal

Bhopal, Aug 28: At a time when unemployment and the fierce competition for government jobs remain major concerns for millions of youth, a Right to Information (RTI) reply has revealed a shocking reality: over 8.23 lac sanctioned posts are lying vacant across various central government civil organizations. Notably, these figures do not include vacancies in public sector banks (PSBs) or public sector undertakings (PSUs).

According to the RTI reply obtained by activist Chandrashekhar Gaur, out of a total of 39,23,212 sanctioned posts, only 30,99,556 employees were working as of March 1, 2024. This leaves a massive 8,23,656 posts vacant, accounting for nearly 21% of the total sanctioned civil staff strength. In other words, more than one in every five government-sanctioned posts remains unfilled.

Expressing concern over these statistics amidst rising unemployment, Gaur stated, "Government jobs are the right of the youth. The government should initiate the process of filling these vacancies on high priority. This will not only provide employment to the youth but also improve the efficiency of the departments."

The RTI data further highlighted that the vacancies extend to the highest echelons of India's administrative structure. In the President's Secretariat, out of 803 sanctioned posts, only 516 people are currently working, leaving 287 posts (35.74%) vacant. Similarly, in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), only 315 employees are working against 441 sanctioned posts, indicating a vacancy of 126 posts (28.57%).

The Pay Research Unit of the Department of Expenditure provided these statistics on August 19, reflecting the vacancy status as of March 1, 2024.