Question : Vacancies in Defence Forces

(a) whether a number of posts of commissioned and non-commissioned officers/staff are lying vacant in the defence forces;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the total number of vacancies existing in all three wings of defence forces, category-wise;
(c) the details of recruitment done along with the total number of youths recruited in the defence forces during the last five years, year-wise, State/UT-wise and post-wise; and
(d) the efforts being made by the Government to fill up the vacant posts and encourage youths to join the defence forces?

MINISTER OF STATE (SHRI AJAY BHATT)
IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(a) & (b): The number of posts lying vacant in the Armed Forces are as under:-
Indian Army:-
Category Vacancies

Officers 7308
MNS Officers 471
JCOs/OR 108685

Indian Navy:-
Category Vacancies
(as on 31st May, 2022)
Officers
(excluding Medical and Dental) 1446
Sailors 12151

Indian Air Force:-
Category Vacancies
Officers 572
Airmen 5217

(c): Information is being collected and will be laid on the Table of the House.

(d): The Government has taken a number of measures to reduce the shortages. These, inter-alia, include sustained image projection, participation in career fairs and exhibitions and publicity campaing to create awareness among the youth on the advantages of taking up a challenging and satisfying career. Further, the Government has taken various steps to make the job in the Armed Forces attractive including improvement in promotion prospects in the Armed Forces and to fill up vacancies.

*****