JAIPUR: Once a bastion of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe, the government sanitation workers’ posts have attracted applications from general and other backward classes (
OBC) too.
The state government had invited applications to fill 21,136 posts of sanitation workers in 184 municipalities across the state. The department announced to fill the posts category wise as per the reservation policy in the state.
Total 17,733 applicants from the general category and the other backward classes (OBC) have applied for the posts.
As against 10,568 reserved seats for general category, 4,056 applicants have applied. Similarly, 13,677 OBC candidates have applied for the 4,438 sanitation workers’ posts.
Though, the applicants are lesser than reserved seats, it is claimed that for the first time, so many general category candidates have applied for sanitation workers’ posts.
Gopal Pacherwal, who belongs to Valmiki community which was initially opposing the quote for general and OBC castes in sanitation workers’ jobs claimed, “This time, the number of applications received is highest under general category. However, we do not want to protest as procedure to fill seats can only be done as per constitutional norms.”
He added, “ During the Gehlot government in 2012, applications were invited to fill the posts in phase-wise manner. In the first phase, preference was given to Valmiki caste, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, while other categories were considered in the second phase. The matter was challenged in the court and since then the process was put on hold. That time, less than 500 general category candidates had applied for the posts.”
Though the general category applicants are lesser than the posts reserved, possibility of each candidate getting a job remains minimal.
An official source said the post will be filled after drawing a lottery in the presence of district administration committee headed by the district collector.
To fill the posts, the committee would draw a lottery in the sequence of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBC, special backward classes (
SBC) and general category respectively. The lottery of unsuccessful candidates of all other categories will be mixed and drawn with the general castes. “While, the lottery of candidates of other categories will be drawn twice, it would be only once for general category. One general candidate will have to rely on his/her luck for the job, the source said.
