During the latest recruitment, Mumbai Police received 2.5 lakh applications from across the state, of which only 30,000 application– around 12 percent of the total applications – were from residents of Mumbai. The lure of joining the constabulary in the city is not an attractive preposition for many of Mumbai”s residents. In the latest recruitment drive conducted by Mumbai Police, which saw 1,076 recruits being inducted, only 31 are residents of Mumbai.
At a time when there is a discussion within the force on whether police officers know the communities they patrol and understand the culture of the people who live in them, senior Mumbai Police officials state that not many residents of the city are excited about joining the Mumbai Police’s constabulary ranks.
During the latest recruitment, Mumbai Police received 2.5 lakh applications from across the state, of which only 30,000 application– around 12 percent of the total applications – were from residents of Mumbai.
“Candidates from Mumbai city are not opting for this job as people living in the financial capital do not take this kind of job seriously. They have more opportunities in the private sector that pays more money than any government job,” said a senior IPS official.
The officer further added that as candidates from rural areas are more serious about a job in the constabulary because of the prospect of moving to Mumbai, they train and prepare harder than the candidates staying in the city.
“Mumbai has a different culture where people are aspiring for different kinds of jobs. And with fewer job opportunities in rural areas, the urge to seek a government job is higher there,” said a criminologist.
The maximum number of candidates recruited for the posts by Mumbai Police are from Pune and Kolhapur belt as 386 personnel were hired from there. As many as 260 are from Nashik, 143 from Aurangabad and 135 from Konkan.
“The rest of the candidates selected for the post are from Amravati, Nanded and Nagpur districts,” said an officer.
The officer further revealed that the recruitment drive concluded recently in the first week of February was to be done in 2019. But due to the spread of Covid-19 virus, they could not call so many candidates to one location, due to which the recruitment was delayed.
A senior IPS officer said the written examination for the sanctioned post of 1,076 police constables was conducted on November 14, 2021, at different centres in Mumbai and other districts. As many as 2.5 lakh candidates had applied for the posts and appeared for the exam. Subsequently, between December 6 and December 15, 2021, physical tests were conducted.
The data provided by the Mumbai Police further shows that the maximum number of candidates are below 25 and HSC graduates, which is the minimum requirement to get the job.
An officer said, “Of these, 797 personnel that were selected are below 25 years of age while the rest are above 25.”
Of the 1,076 policemen recruited, 748 are HSC pass-outs while only 10 are post-graduates and 318 recruited personnel are graduates.
Currently, 37,465 personnel are employed with the Mumbai Police department, out of which 30,167 policemen are working at the constabulary rank.
The Maharashtra government has sanctioned 37,401 posts at the constabulary rank. The previous recruitment drive for such jobs in Mumbai Police took place in 20.
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