Archive · 24 Aug 2026
Congress Alleges Modi Government Plan To End Reservations Amid Vacancies
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge says many central-government jobs are empty.
He believes this could reduce opportunities for people who receive reservations.
Reports cited by him put the number of vacant posts at 8.24 lakh in 2024.
The cited number was 4.21 lakh in 2015.
Kharge said railways, defence and the Home Ministry had many vacancies.
He also claimed that 5.1 lakh permanent public-sector jobs had been removed.
According to him, contract jobs had become more common than before.
Kharge says these changes could affect reserved opportunities for SC, ST, OBC and EWS communities.
The articles report his allegations and do not include a response from the government or BJP.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the Modi government was weakening reservations through vacant posts and employment changes.
Media reports cited by Kharge said 8.24 lakh central-government posts were vacant in 2024, compared with 4.21 lakh in 2015.
Kharge cited 2.40 lakh vacancies in the railways, 2.41 lakh in defence and 1.10 lakh in the Home Ministry.
He claimed that 5.1 lakh permanent public-sector jobs had been eliminated and contractual workers’ share had risen from 19% to 49%.
Kharge said keeping posts vacant, selling PSUs and increasing contract work could reduce reservation opportunities for SC, ST, OBC and EWS communities.
- Who
- Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Congress party made the allegations against the Modi government and the BJP.
- What
- The Congress alleged that vacant posts, fewer permanent public-sector jobs and increased contracting could weaken reservation opportunities.
- When
- The remarks were made on Monday; the cited comparison covers 2015 and 2024.
- Where
- The issue concerns central-government civilian establishments in India; the reports were datelined New Delhi.
- Why
- Kharge said the reported rise in vacancies and employment changes threatened social justice and constitutional rights for SC, ST, OBC and EWS communities.
- Vacant posts in 2024
- 8.24 lakh sanctioned posts across central-government civilian establishments, according to media reports cited by Kharge
- Vacant posts in 2015
- 4.21 lakh central-government posts, according to the figures cited by Kharge
- Railway vacancies
- 2.40 lakh posts, according to Kharge
- Defence vacancies
- 2.41 lakh posts, according to Kharge
- Home Ministry vacancies
- 1.10 lakh posts, according to Kharge
- Permanent PSU jobs
- Kharge claimed that 5.1 lakh permanent jobs had been eliminated
- Contractual employment
- Kharge said the share of contractual workers rose from 19% to 49%
