Puducherry government begins process to fill up over 4,000 vacant posts

Govt initiates 2nd phase of direct recruitment to fill 4-5K vacancies. Last year, 1015 posts were notified & 600 filled. Process delayed due to internal reservation benefit. 1st phase to incur govt ₹100cr. Process to fill vacancies on promotion basis underway.

The Puducherry government has initiated the process to begin the second phase of direct recruitment to fill in vacancies in government posts. The Finance Department has started collecting particulars regarding details of vacant posts that are proposed to be filled in during the current financial year.

The department had issued an Inter Departmental (I.D) note at the end of last month, seeking details such as number of vacancies/sanctioned strength, number of posts proposed to be filled up immediately, whether the posts are critical, additional annual financial implications on filling up these posts and the availability of funds in the budget

Last year, the government had notified around 1,015 vacant posts in the category of Lower Division Clerk (LDC), Upper Division Clerk (UDC), Storekeeper, Motor Vehicle and Health Inspectors, Statistical Assistant, Junior Engineer, Agriculture Officer etc that have to be filled in the first phase.

So far around 600 posts, including those of 250 constables, 116 UDCs, 65 LDCs and 55 Storekeepers have been filled through competitive examination held on different occasions.

“The government has estimated that nearly 5,000 vacancies have to be filled in the various administrative wings through direct recruitment. The vacancies were not filled for the last six to seven years due to various reasons including financial constraints. As many as 1,015 vacancies were notified last year. We have already filled up around 600 vacancies through direct recruitment and the process is underway to fill the remaining vacancies,” said an official.

In the case of certain posts announced in the first phase, the recruitment process got delayed. The Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms has communicated to the government the technical and legal issues in filling up certain Group B posts in the wake of announcements on internal reservations made in March, this year. the official said.

“The decision to extend the reservation benefit was taken after the notification of vacancies. We have communicated the difficulties and hence the process to start the recruitment drive in certain categories in the first phase got delayed. The issue will be sorted out,” said an official.