State yet to fill 10,000 backlog vacancies of SC/STs in departments
The department managed to collect data, after nearly six months of exercise, on category wise (A, B, C and D) vacancies in 34 departments
Tamil Nadu government
CHENNAI: Two years have passed since the Tamil Nadu government took a policy decision to conduct an exclusive drive to fill over 10,000 backlog vacancies reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) candidates in various departments. However, it has not been materalised till date for reasons known to the authorities concerned.
After repeated representation from the allies, the DMK government had announced plans to fill the vacant posts in various government departments and directed the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department to identify the number of vacancies in 2021 and conduct a special drive to fill the vacant posts. Following this, the department managed to collect data, after nearly six months of exercise, on category wise (A, B, C and D) vacancies in 34 departments.
Though then chief secretary V Irai Anbu had issued special directions and held meetings with heads of various departments to materalise the government’s policy decision, nothing happened. “It is really disappointing to see the government machinery inaction in filling the backlog vacancies,” said an official, preferring anonymity. Sources in the government said Dravidian ideologue Suba Veerapandian headed the committee for social justice and submitted a recommendation regarding the backlog vacancies. “The panel submitted the recommendation six months ago.”
VCK floor leader Sinthanai Selvan, who flagged the issue in the Assembly on multiple occasions, said that the party’s high-level committee recently passed a resolution urging the state to expedite the filling of backlog vacancies. They have also submitted a representation regarding this to Chief Minister MK Stalin.
“Though the number of identified backlog vacancies for SC/ST candidates are contradictory to the reality, we want the government to fill them fast. Meanwhile, we want the government to take up an extensive drive to identify the left out backlog vacancies for SC/ST,” said Sinthanai Selvan.
He also pointed out that more than 14,000 posts meant for SC candidates in the higher education department were lying vacant for decades.
There was no response to repeated attempts to reach Minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare Kayalvizhi for her comments.