Fri Dec 20 05:58:33 UTC 2024: ## Government Explains Omission of Reservation Data from Annual Report
**New Delhi, December 20, 2024** – The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions has attributed the omission of reservation data for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from its annual report to incomplete data received from various ministries. This explanation was given in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday in response to a question from CPI(M) MP John Brittas.
The omission, first reported by *The Hindu* earlier this month, marks the first time in at least two decades that this crucial data has been absent from the Department of Personnel and Training’s annual report. Union Minister of State for Personnel, Jitendra Singh, stated that the data collection process is time-consuming and that incomplete data prevented its inclusion in the 2023-24 report. While claiming the data has since been reconciled, the minister only offered approximate figures for SC, ST, and OBC employees (5.47 lakh, 2.82 lakh, and 8.55 lakh respectively) without providing the total number of employees, thus precluding the calculation of accurate representation percentages. The data also lacked the usual group-wise tabulation.
The minister further evaded a direct answer regarding vacancies and abolished posts over the last five years, instead highlighting the government’s “Rozgar Mela” job recruitment initiative. He stated that several lakh appointment letters have been distributed through this program. The lack of detailed information on vacancies and the unconventional presentation of reservation data have raised concerns about transparency and accountability.
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