66% Sanitation Workers in Central Govt Are from SC, ST, OBC: DoPT

Why in the News? 

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), in its Annual Report 2024–25, revealed that over 66% of Group C sanitation workers (safai karmacharis) in the Central government belong to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backwards Classes (OBC). The data has reignited debates around occupational segregation, social justice, and the effectiveness of reservation policies in public employment.

Background

The Central government follows reservation norms in direct recruitment:

• SCs – 15%
• STs – 7.5%
• OBCs – 27%
• EWS – 10%

Government posts are classified into:

• Group A (senior/managerial)
• Group B (middle-level)
• Group C (clerical, technical, and support staff, including sanitation workers)
• The Department of Personnel and Training is responsible for personnel policies, recruitment rules, and maintaining representation data.

Features

Disproportionate Representation in Sanitation Work

• 66%+ of safai karmacharis belong to SC, ST, and OBC groups
• Indicates persistence of caste-linked occupational roles

Representation Across Services

Group A 

• SC – 14.2%
• ST – 6.54%
• OBC – 19.14%
  (All below prescribed reservation norms, especially OBCs)

Group B:

• SC – 16.2%
• ST – 7.63%
• OBC – 21.95%

Group C (excluding sanitation):

• SC – 16.75%
• ST – 8.94%
• OBC – 27.29%
  

Overall Central Government Workforce

• Total employees covered: 32.52 lakh
• SC – 16.84%
• ST – 8.7%
• OBC – 26.32%
• No data on EWS representation

Data Transparency Improvement

• First comprehensive dataset since 2018–19
• Earlier reports (2019–2023) covered only 19–20 lakh employees due to delayed submissions by Ministries.
• Challenges

Occupational Segregation

• Over-representation of marginalised communities in sanitation reflects historical caste hierarchies.
• Raises concerns of “reservation without mobility”

Under-representation in Decision-Making Roles

• SC/ST/OBC presence remains below mandated levels in Group A posts
• Limits inclusive governance and policy sensitivity

Absence of EWS Data

• Despite 10% EWS reservation, no official data published
• Weakens transparency and parliamentary oversight

Inconsistent Data Reporting

• Recurrent delays and partial datasets undermine:
  • Evidence-based policymaking
  • Judicial and legislative scrutiny

Way Forward

Ensure Vertical Mobility

• Introduce career progression pathways for Group C workers
• Mandatory departmental exams, skill certification, and promotions

Address Caste-Based Occupational Clustering

• Encourage diversified recruitment across roles.
• Targeted training for SC/ST/OBC employees for technical and supervisory posts

Mandatory Disclosure of EWS Data

• Annual reporting of EWS representation across all services
• Align with principles of equal opportunity and transparency

Strengthen Monitoring Mechanisms

• Penal provisions for Ministries failing to submit data
• Digitised, real-time dashboards for workforce diversity

Link Social Justice with Dignity of Labour

• Implement recommendations of:
  • National Commission for Safai Karamcharis
  • Supreme Court rulings on manual scavenging and dignity at work

Conclusion

The DoPT data exposes a structural paradox: while reservation has enabled the entry of marginalised communities into public employment, deep-rooted caste-based occupational stratification persists, especially in sanitation work. True social justice requires moving beyond numerical representation towards dignity, mobility, and leadership inclusion, ensuring that constitutional equality translates into lived equality within the State’s own workforce.