December 4, 2023
Aparupa Poddar’s Zero Hour mention in the Lok Sabha on posts reserved for SC, ST and OBC candidates under the Union government that are lying vacant
Thank you Sir for giving me this opportunity. Sir, through you, I would like to draw the attention of the Indian Union Government towards the vacant positions for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. Through the data provided by the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Education, it is evident that we are far behind in fulfilling our commitment towards the inclusion and equality in the society. In the Indian Railways, 86,211 vacancies for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes are there. It is disheartening that 18,600 of these vacancies were carried over in the previous year. Even the parallel pattern is witnessed in the Central universities where 46 per cent of the reserved seats for OBCs, 44 per cent for STs and 37 per cent for SCs still remain unoccupied. Even in our most prestigious institutions like IITs, 2,750 faculty vacancies reserved for SCs, STs, OBCs and EWS are remaining vacant. This highlights the magnitude of underrepresentation of our society. It is the constitutional duty of the Government to ensure the livelihood and the social upliftment of these communities. In 2014, this Government promised to create 25 crore more jobs. It is imperative for the Government to fulfil this commitment. I appeal to the Government to address the vacancies reserved for SCs, STs, and OBCs with a sense of urgency and transparency in the recruitment process.
