Lucknow— Over the last few years, flouting of reservation norms has become a common occurrence in departments. UPSSSC (Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission) recently released vacancies for Eye Testing Officer.

However, the vacancies released flouted the reservation norms. Out of the total 157 vacancies, there were 0 vacancies for Scheduled Castes, only 2 vacancies for Scheduled Tribes, and 30 vacancies for the Other Backward Classes, as opposed to the mandated 34 for Scheduled Castes, 3 for Scheduled Tribes, and 42 for the Other Backward Classes, as the reservation for these three categories is 21%, 2%, and 27%, respectively, in Uttar Pradesh. 

The notification rides roughshod over the reservation norms by fixing 110 vacancies for the Unreserved category, which comes to around 70%, as against the mandated 40% or 63 vacancies. Together with 15 posts for EWS (Economically Weaker Section), there are 125 posts against the requisite tally of 79. Reacting to the notification, Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya said on Twitter, "The Dalit, tribal, and Other Backward Classes should understand this anti-constitutional and anti-reservationist character of the BJP government and should punish them for their sins in the coming time."

Violation of Reservation Norms, not new for the commission

It has to be remembered that this is not the first time UPSSSC has brazenly veered away from the mandated reservation criteria. As recently as May, the commission came out with a notification for the post of Gram Vikas Adhikari (Village Development Officer). Out of the total 1468 vacancies, 849 vacancies were marked as reserved against the 734 mandated according to the reservation policy of the state. The notification allotted 139 seats to Other Backward Castes, which is around 9.75% of the total seats advertised, against the 27% posts or around 395 seats that should have been allotted to the category in accordance with the reservation policy of the state.

Violation of norms becoming a norm

The fact that UPSSSC has repeated the gross discrepancy in the affirmative action policy speaks to the brazenness of the state recruitment authorities when it comes to denying the rights of the marginalized sections of society. It is a worrying trend as if the recruiters don't adhere to the reservation criteria, the purpose of such provisions would be defeated.