Why in News?
- The Department of Personnel and Training released its 2024–25 Annual Report, revealing caste-wise representation in Union government services, including disproportionate SC, ST, and OBC presence in sanitation roles.
Relevance
GS Paper II – Social Justice
- Effectiveness and limitations of reservation policy in achieving substantive equality.
- Under-representation in higher services vs concentration in hazardous work.
- State’s role as a model employer.
GS Paper I – Society
- Persistence of caste-based occupational segregation.
- Social mobility, dignity of labour, and structural inequality.
Background — Reservation Framework in Union Government Jobs
Reservation Norms
- DoPT rules mandate 15% reservation for SCs, 7.5% for STs, 27% for OBCs, and 10% for EWS in direct recruitment across Union government posts.
Classification of Posts
- Union government jobs are classified into Group A, B, and C, reflecting hierarchy, responsibility levels, and socio-economic access to higher administrative positions.
Key Findings from the 2024–25 Data
Safai Karmacharis
- Over 66% of Group C safai karmacharis in Union government employment belong to SC, ST, and OBC communities, indicating persistence of caste-linked occupational segregation.
Social Implications
- The data reflects historical patterns where marginalised communities remain concentrated in low-status, hazardous, and manual sanitation roles, despite constitutional commitments to equality.
Representation in Higher Services
Group A Services
- SCs hold 14.2%, STs 6.54%, and OBCs 19.14% of Group A posts, falling short of prescribed reservation levels, especially for OBCs.
Group B Services
- In Group B posts, representation stands at 16.2% SC, 7.63% ST, and 21.95% OBC, showing partial compliance but persistent under-representation of OBCs.
Group C (Non-Sanitation) Posts
Broader Workforce Trends
- Excluding safai karmacharis, Group C posts show 16.75% SC, 8.94% ST, and 27.29% OBC representation, broadly aligning with reservation benchmarks.
Aggregate Trends and Data Gaps
Union Government Workforce
- Across 32.52 lakh employees in 80 Ministries and Departments, SC representation is 16.84%, ST 8.7%, and OBC 26.32%, as of January 1, 2024.
Absence of EWS Data
Transparency Concerns
- The report provides no data on EWS representation, raising questions about monitoring effectiveness of the newest reservation category.
Reporting Inconsistencies
Data Discontinuity
- This is the first comprehensive caste-representation disclosure since 2018–19, with interim reports covering only 19–20 lakh employees due to delayed submissions by Ministries.
Trend Analysis — 2018–19 vs 2024–25
SC and ST Trends
- SC representation declined from 17.49% to 16.84%, while ST representation marginally increased from 8.47% to 8.94%, indicating stagnation in social mobility.
OBC Expansion
- OBC representation rose sharply from 21.57% to 26.32%, marking the largest gain among reserved categories across Groups A, B, and C.
Analytical Deductions from the DoPT Reservation Data
Occupational Segregation Persists Despite Reservation
- Disproportionate SC/ST/OBC concentration in safai karmachari roles shows reservation has enabled entry but not occupational mobility, reflecting deep-rooted caste–job linkages within state employment.
Representation Declines with Hierarchical Elevation
- Under-representation of SCs and OBCs in Group A and B services, despite near-compliance in Group C, indicates structural barriers in promotion, selection, and career progression, not merely recruitment shortfalls.
Reservation Outcomes Are Uneven Across Social Groups
- Sharp rise in OBC representation alongside stagnation or decline for SCs suggests asymmetric benefits, raising concerns about differential access to education, coaching, and institutional support within reserved categories.
Sanitation Work Remains Socially Entrenched
- The overwhelming presence of marginalised communities in hazardous sanitation roles highlights the failure of the State as a model employer to break caste-based labour stratification.
Data Deficits Undermine Policy Accountability
- Absence of EWS data and irregular reporting weaken evidence-based evaluation of affirmative action, limiting Parliament’s and society’s ability to assess whether constitutional equality goals are being met.
