The Centre has asked vice-chancellors of universities to fill backlog vacancies reserved for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, other backward classes and persons with disabilities by the end of this month.
Directing the VCs of all 578 varsities including deemed to be universities to clear the backlog through a special recruitment drive, the Ministry of Human resource Development has asked them to submit compliance report within fifteen days after filling all the identified teaching and non-teaching post.
The University Grants Commission, too, has written to the vice chancellors in this regard asking them to take the matter “urgent”. “This exercise (filling of backlog posts) has to be completed by March 31,” the higher education regulator has said.
The Ministry has asked the university heads to take “due care” while making assessment of the backlog vacancies and maintenance of requisite registers and rosters as per instructions of Department of Personnel and Training.
“They (vice-chancellors) have been asked to ensure that such assessments are correct,” sources in the ministry said.
Various organisations working for the welfare of persons with disability has told the HRD Ministry that backlog vacancies meant for them have not been reported correctly by many institutions in terms of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Right and Full Participation) Act, 1995.
Several parliamentarians, too have brought this issue to the notice of the ministry. In view of such reports, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal has asked all the vice-chancellors to look into the matter personally and take corrective steps, if any required, ministry sources said. The minister also has exhorted the VCs to meet the deadline of March 1 set for the filling of the backlog vacancies, as identified on November 1, 2008, for SCs, STs and OBCs and on November 15, 2009 for persons with disabilities, sources added.