17 departments in Karnataka have not implemented 42-year-old order on promotion of SC and ST employees

After the Karnataka State SC/ST Employees’ Coordination Committee flagged this issue, the Legislature Committee on the Welfare of SC/STs reviewed its implementation with DPAR on June 20, 2024. 

The Karnataka government has issued an order to all departments to implement an order that dates back to 1982 on promotion of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) employees, which 17 departments have not implemented yet, thereby denying promotion to many SC/ST employees.

On November 26, 1982, the Department of Personnel Administrative Reforms (DPAR) issued an order stating that in cases where SC/ST employees who have served for five years are not available, eligible candidates who have served at least three years should be considered for promotion. However, many departments have not implemented the same yet. 

After the Karnataka State SC/ST Employees’ Coordination Committee flagged this issue, the Legislature Committee on the Welfare of SC/STs reviewed its implementation with DPAR on June 20, 2024, and found 17 departments had not implemented the same. Directions were issued to DPAR to implement the order effectively. 

Now, DPAR has issued an order to all government departments, corporations, boards, associations, commissions, universities and other Institutions under the respective departments to consider for promotion eligible candidates among SCs and STs who have rendered at least three years of qualifying service. According to the order, “If it has not already been adopted in the Cadre & Recruitment (C&R) rules, it should be adopted compulsorily, and the information about the adoption has been requested to be reported to the Commissioner, Social Welfare Department.”

D. Shivashankar, honorary president of Karnataka State SC/ST Employees’ Coordination Committee, told The Hindu that it was a shame that an order issued in 1982 has not been implemented yet. “Due to this, thousands of SC/ST employees are deprived of promotion. Therefore, it is not enough for the government to just issue an order. It should give a specific time frame and instruct all departments to amend the C&R rules compulsorily. In case of negligence to implement, strict measures, like legal action against the higher authorities of the department concerned, should be taken,” he said.