In what could bring joy to thousands of aspirants of government jobs, the Karnataka government has enhanced the number of posts for recruitment to 72,186 from 56,432 announced earlier. It has also sought completion of the recruitment process, including handing over of appointment order, within the next six months.

The decision to enhance the number came during the last Cabinet meeting following which a circular was issued on Wednesday.

Of the total 72,186 posts that would be filled through direct recruitment across 51 departments, 40,009 are in different departments for which approvals have been received from the Finance Department since 2023-2024. As many as 32,177 posts belong to Kalyana Karnataka cadre since the Finance Department has provided approval to fill up 80% of the vacant posts in the region that comes under Article 371 J.

According to the Second Administrative Reforms Commission, of the total 8.16 lakh sanctioned posts in Karnataka, about 36% of 2.94 lakh posts across 43 departments are vacant. The government has outsourced about 70,492 personnel.

Stalled since 2023

Public recruitment in Karnataka had been stalled since 2023 as a series of litigation over the reservation matters hit the process. The government has even given age relaxation upto five years delays during last six years, also caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

Cases are being heard in the High Court of Karnataka against the enhancement of reservation quota from the Supreme Court-capped 50% to 56%. The nomadic communities have also gone to court against the internal reservation matrix among the Scheduled Castes. While the Karnataka Examinations Authority and the Karnataka Public Service Commission notified several hundred posts and commenced the process, appointment orders have not been issued in most, while in some conditional appointment have been issued subject to final court order.

The reservation issue has been partly cleared after the Cabinet agreed to revert to the quota for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes from 17% to 15% and 7% to 3%, respectively, bringing the overall reservation quota to 50%. The internal reservation within 15% Scheduled Castes quota has also been announced

‘Welcome move’

Mysuru-based M. Nagasunder, a job aspirant, said that kickstarting recruitment process was a welcome move since the delay has caused intense anxiety among aspirants. “Candidates require consolidated information about the details of departments, posts, to which groups they belong cadre wise to prepare well.”

The circular issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Departments on Thursday, appointing Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Development Commissioner to monitor recruitment in 17 departments, and an Additional Chief Secretary to monitor recruitment in 34 departments, said that all recruitment notification must be issued within two months and complete examination process within four months and hand over appointment orders within six months.

Government sources said that two senior officers have been deployed to monitor recruitment process and coordinate efforts with Karnataka Public Service Commission and Karnataka Examination Authority, the two agencies that oversee recruitment.

“Earlier, departmental heads would be in charge and experience has shown that the departments lagged in responding to KEA or KPSC whenever clarifications were sought on issues such roster and reservation, delaying the process. The two officers are expected to ensure the process to be smooth,” the source said.