Protesters seek recruitment notification for 72,000 vacancies in Karnataka

The All-India Democratic Youth Organisation (AIDYO) and the Job Aspirants’ Struggle Committee (JASC) staged a protest in front of the Dharwad Deputy Commissioner’s office on Tuesday, urging the State government to immediately issue recruitment notifications for 72,000 posts it had announced and complete the recruitment process within six months.

The protesters submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister, seeking a recruitment calendar and filling up of all vacant government posts in the State. They also demanded transparent recruitment and measures to check alleged corruption in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).

Addressing the protestors, Dharwad district unit president of AIDYO and JASC State co-convener Bhavanishankar S. Gouda said the organisations welcomed the government’s recent recruitment notifications and its decision to provide a five-year relaxation in the upper age limit for direct recruitment conducted by the State government until December 31, 2027.

However, he said the notifications issued so far covered fewer than 25,000 posts, despite the government’s announcement in June that 72,000 posts would be filled within six months. He demanded that notifications for the remaining posts be issued immediately and that all 2.84 lakh vacant posts in the State be filled.

AIDYO district organiser Yellappa Dore said the requirement of a National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) certificate for candidates with two-year ITI training was preventing many ITI graduates from applying for government jobs. He demanded that ITI qualifications be treated as equivalent to PUC for eligible posts.

The organisations sought an independent and comprehensive inquiry into recruitment conducted through the KPSC during the last six years, under the supervision of a sitting or retired High Court or Supreme Court judge. They demanded that those found guilty of corruption be punished and that major recruitments not be entrusted to the KPSC until reforms were carried out.

The protestors demanded recruitment of subject-specific and special teachers, including teachers for art and music, in primary and secondary schools. They demanded waiver of recruitment examination fees and free travel for candidates appearing for examinations and sought better facilities in public libraries, besides the immediate launch of four Indira Canteens proposed for areas with a large number of job aspirants in Dharwad.

Their other demands include effective implementation of the rural employment scheme, increasing the guaranteed employment days to 200 and wages to ₹600, and measures against online betting, alcohol and narcotic substances.