‘Introduce quotas in contractual jobs’

The Union ministry of social justice and empowerment has written to the department of personnel and training to ensure that the reservation policy for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Class (OBCs) are followed for appointments made on contractual basis or a limited time basis in government ministries and departments.

A letter submitted by MSJE minister Thawar Chand Gehlot to his colleague Jitendra Singh, who holds the charge of DoPT, states that all appointments of consultants and contract employees, for time-bound assignments and for outsourced work, should also have provisions for quotabased appointments as per constitutional provisions.

Gehlot said the reservation policy should be applied to all state and central government jobs that are non-permanent in nature. The move is a part of the government’s initiatives to reach out to the marginalised communities at a time when the Opposition has accused it of not doing enough to secure the rights of Dalits and tribals.

According to an official aware of the developments, the letter comes in the wake of demands from SC/ST and OBC groups underlining that since most of the recruitment in government departments and ministries are done on contractual basis, the rules of quota should apply there.

“Salaries to employees who are employed on contract, or for time-bound period, or even work that is outsourced is paid for by the government, so it is appropriate that constitutional provisions of reservation are ensured for these appointments also. It has come to the government’s notice that the percentage of SC/ST and OBCs in such jobs is minimal,” the official quoted above said.

NEWDELHI: