Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh stated today, Thursday, December 19 that more than four lakh backlog vacancies reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Class (OBC) candidates have been filled since 2016.

"Occurrence and filling of vacancies, including the backlog reserved vacancies, is a continuous process," he said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, during the ongoing Winter Session of the Parliament, PTI reports.

The ministry has issued instructions to all ministries and departments of the Central government to form an in-house committee to identify backlog reserved vacancies, study the root cause of such vacancies, initiate measures to remove the factors causing such vacancies, and fill them, including through special recruitment drives, said Singh.

"As per the data furnished by the ministries/departments, more than 4 lakh backlog reserved vacancies in respect of SC/ST and OBC candidates have been filled up since 2016," he wrote in his reply.

The minister stated that each ministry and department of the Central government must select a Liaison Officer with the rank of Deputy Secretary or above to oversee proper compliance with reservation directives and instructions.

Furthermore, each ministry and department must establish a special reservation cell under the direct supervision of the Liaison Officer to assist them in carrying out their duties, he stated.

The minister stated that the records of vacancies are maintained by the respective government organisations under the relevant ministry or department.

"Ministries/departments of the central government have been directed, from time to time, to fill up the vacant posts in a time bound manner," Singh said.