NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has directed the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to submit a detailed report on alleged irregularities in the appointment of candidates from reserved categories and discrepancies in reservation rosters, amid a broader government review of compliance with reservation norms.
The Commission has sought employment advertisements, selection committee reports, OBC certificates of appointees and roster registers for the past five years. It has also asked the ministry to provide details of action taken on the discrepancies identified and the officials found responsible.
The issue was raised during a review meeting between the NCBC and senior MoHUA officials in June. Sources said the Commission questioned the delay in setting up the ministry’s Reservation Cell in 2016, despite OBC reservation having been implemented in 1993.
The NCBC chairman also expressed displeasure over the ministry’s failure to provide complete information on reservation matters within the stipulated time.
“Without complete information and documents, how will the Commission investigate the matter,” the chairman asked, according to sources.
After being informed about alleged abnormalities in roster registers, the Commission directed MoHUA to submit details of the irregularities, action taken against officials responsible, and records relating to recruitment and selection over the last five years. The NCBC is scheduled to hold another review meeting on August 18.
Following the directions, MoHUA has begun collating details of officials appointed through direct recruitment under the OBC category during the past five years, including their designations and dates of appointment.
The ministry has also instructed its subordinate offices and public sector undertakings to ensure strict and time-bound compliance with directions on filling posts reserved for eligible categories.
The move follows a Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) review last month of reservation policy implementation across ministries and government departments.
DoPT has also suggested special recruitment drives to clear backlogs in reserved vacancies. “Every ministry/department should ensure that a committee under the chairmanship of JS (joint secretary) rank officer may be constituted which shall hold periodic meetings so as to fill up all the reserved vacancies in a time bound manner,” the record of a July 27 DoPT meeting said.
It further stressed that ministries and departments should ensure representation of reserved-category candidates at all levels, including lower levels.
MoHUA’s Reservation Cell has meanwhile asked liaison officers and other officials dealing with reservation matters to attend workshops on “Reservation in Service” and the “Role of Liaison Officer in Reservation” conducted by the Institute of Secretariat Training & Management.
