Steadily shrinking job vacancies in the central government, banks and central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) is a reality check to the 10% reservation, which was recently passed in the Parliament, for the economically disadvantaged section in the general category. According to data compiled by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), there has been a decline in recruitment through the main agencies namely Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Railway Recruitment Board (RRB), Staff Selection Commission (SSC).
In the last three years, selection and recruitment cumulatively by these three main agencies declined to 1,00,933 in the financial year 2017 from 1,13,524 in the financial year 2015, the data showed. The number of employees in CPSEs also dropped to 15.23 lakh in the financial year 2017 from 16.91 lakh in the financial year 2014, separate data from the Minister of Heavy and Public Enterprises.
However, the number of those employed by CPSE was stood at 11.31 lakh in fiscal 2017, a decrease of 4.5% as against 11.85 lakh in the financial year 2016, if the number of contractual and casual workers were to be excluded. The government, however, has no record of a centralised database on jobs created and employees retired.
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“The manpower planning and deployment in CPSEs is aligned to the objectives and targets of their business plan, prevailing business conditions and requirements, and other factors like future operations, expansion and investment plan, etc. The other reasons for changes in manpower employment include retirement, attrition and Voluntary Retirement Scheme and Voluntary Separation Schemes in CPSEs,” an official from the Ministry of Heavy and Public Enterprises told The Indian Express while talking about the declining trend in CPSE employment numbers
Separate data by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) showed that the total employment rose by nearly 4.5% in banks, mainly on account of the hiring of officers. Recruitment in the two other job categories — clerks and subordinate staff — though has seen a decline of about 8% between the financial year 2015 and financial year 2017.
The figures available for these agencies do not include recruitment made by state governments, financial institutions, universities, statutory and autonomous bodies and those done directly by the ministries and departments outside the UPSC and SSC.
Last week, the government announced 10% reservation in government jobs and higher education for economically weaker sections in the general category.
