Hiring for govt jobs on schedule, as per existing quota limits

Mumbai: Recruitment for government jobs in Maharashtra will go ahead as scheduled and as per existing quota limits. This was clarified by several government officers on Friday, laying to rest speculations that the recruitment process would remain suspended till the Maratha reservation issue was resolved.

“We are working on recruitment for over 10,000 posts in various departments like higher and technical education, medical education, forest, and general administration. The process will continue as per existing quotas as it is mandatory for us to follow the quota system given by the state government while submitting the demand for posts,” said Dilip Pandharpatte, chairman, Maharashtra State Public Service Commission (MPSC).

Speculations that recruitments may be stalled arose after Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil claimed it was one of the conditions he had set before the government to withdraw his hunger strike. “While withdrawing the strike, I told the government representatives that there should be no recruitment process for government jobs till the issue is resolved,” Jarange-Patil said on Friday morning. The activist withdrew his fast on Thursday, giving the government two months’ time to resolve the Maratha reservation issue.

Recruitment by government bodies other than the MPSC will also go ahead as planned, said officials. “The state government has declared that it will undertake a recruitment drive for 75,000 government jobs. This will continue as per the existing process and quota limits, but Maratha youths who receive the Kunbi certificates from the state government in the coming days will be eligible to apply for posts under OBC (Other backward Classes) quota,” said an official.

The official clarified that in cases where the recruitment process had already started, those who had Kunbi certificates would not be eligible for the OBC quota.

“The health department has initiated recruitment for 10,949 posts but the last date to apply has already passed and exams for recruitment will be held soon. So, this process will continue as is, and the same would be applicable for any other recruitment for which the process has already begun,” he said.

The home department has also declared that recruitment for over 10,000 police personnel will commence soon.