(a) whether it is a fact that SCs/STs/ OBCs are under-represented in the upper rungs of the Central Government jobs/ employment;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the representation of these groups in Government departments from Under Secretary to Secretary level in comparison to the general/un-reserved category, post and category-wise; and
(c) the reasons for under-representation of these groups at the upper rungs and the steps taken by the Government to bridge the gap thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
(a) & (b): Details of representation of officers belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and the Scheduled Tribes (STs) categories in Under Secretary and above grades (including in their equivalent grades) in Central Secretariat Service (CSS) and Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service (CSSS) and the representation of officers from SCs, STs and the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) under the Central Staffing Scheme, in various Ministries/ Departments of the Central Government, in under secretary and above grades, is at Annexure.
As there is no reservation in promotion for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), the data with regard to representation of OBCs in CSS and CSSS cadres is not maintained.
(c): The Group Á posts in Central Secretariat Service (CSS) and Central Secretariat Stenographers’ Service (CSSS) are filled up 100% by promotion. There is no reservation in promotion within Group A posts. The shortfall, if any, observed under some grades is due to non-availability of eligible candidates in the feeder grade.
Insofar as the appointments to the posts at the levels of Joint Secretary, Additional Secretary and Secretary to the Government of India are concerned, these are made from amongst the pool of officers empanelled to hold the posts and whose services are available to the Government of India. Many officers belonging to reserved categories often enter the service late, i.e., at higher ages, as compared to other categories and thus, a number of such officers retire from service by the time their batches are considered for empanelment to the post of Additional Secretary and Secretary. As a result, their proportionate representation in higher positions in Government of India is comparatively lower. However, from amongst the reserved category officers available for consideration, efforts are made to give them as much representation as is possible.
Contd.P.-2/-
-2-
It is the continued endeavour of the Government to ensure higher representation of reserved category officers in terms of guidelines for empanelment, which, inter-alia, provide that “in case the selection process does not lead to adequate representation of categories like SC/ST, in the panel, the criteria for empanelment would be suitably relaxed to give due representation to these categories”.
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