Uttarakhand High Court Orders Review of Government Recruitment Practices

The Uttarakhand High Court has ordered the state's chief secretary to submit details of vacant sanctioned posts in government departments. The court criticized the recruitment system, citing petitions about the government's failure to regularly fill these posts and addressing the issue of age limits affecting eligible candidates.

The Uttarakhand High Court has mandated the state's chief secretary to gather comprehensive data on unfilled sanctioned positions across all government departments, demanding detailed information through an affidavit.

The directive, issued by Justice Rakesh Thapliyal, came during a hearing on the persistent issue of unfilled government posts, despite available sanctioned vacancies. The court criticized the current recruitment framework, pointing out its failure to incorporate regular hiring processes, which has been highlighted in several petitions. Concerns were raised about the government's reliance on temporary, contract, and ad-hoc hires instead of permanent appointments.

Addressing broader concerns, the court noted the adverse impact on qualified youths who miss opportunities due to age limits while the posts remain unfilled. It ordered an explanation for circumventing regular recruitment procedures and the classification of Category-IV posts as a 'dead cadre'. A follow-up hearing is set for February 16.

(With inputs from agencies.)