RANCHI: There is inadequate representation of Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) employees in promotion posts at every level in the Jharkhand government, a report said.
A three-member committee, constituted in Jharkhand to study promotion, administrative efficiency and representation of SCs and STs in the creamy layer under the services and posts of the government in the state, submitted its report to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday evening.
"The percentage of SC and ST employees in relation to the total number of employees holding posts on the basis of promotion against sanctioned promotion posts across the state is 4.45 per cent and 10.04 per cent respectively which is much less than the population ratio of SC and ST (12.08 per cent and 26.20 respectively) as per the Committee report," Chief Minister's office said.
A statement from the Chief Minister's office said according to the data, the total number of sanctioned posts in the state is 3.01 lakh in 31 major departments, of which 57,182 posts are to be filled on the basis of promotion while 2.44 lakh posts are to be filled by direct appointment.
The committee in its report recommended: "Since the representation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the services of the state is far below the required level, it is necessary to continue with the present policy of reservation in promotion.
" At this stage, any relaxation of the existing provision or removal of any clause would not be justified or desirable and would be against the interest of the community at large, it said.
"Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) and Department of Personnel Administrative Reforms and Official Language also need to maintain the database of results with year wise and category wise details of how many SC, ST, OBC unreserved qualified under the category," the committee recommended.
A separate cell should be created under the Personnel Department for more rigorous and continuous monitoring to ensure strict adherence to the reservation policy and its provisions by all departments, it said.
The Department of Personnel, Administrative Reforms and Official Language must publish annual reports on recruitments, promotions and other related information, it added.
The Supreme Court on October 5 had asked the Centre as to what exercise it has undertaken to justify decisions to grant quota in promotions to the employees belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) on counts such as they have inadequate representation in jobs and the reservation will not adversely impact the overall administrative efficiency.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao said if a judicial challenge is made to the quota in promotions to the SCs and STs in a particular cadre of a job then the government will have to justify it on grounds such as that they are inadequately represented in a particular cadre and granting quota will not adversely impact the overall administrative efficiency.
Earlier, the top court, on September 14, said that it would not reopen its decision on granting reservation in promotions to the SCs and STs as it was for the states to decide how they implement it.