Posts Vacant For Differently Abled, But Thousands Without Jobs In Madhya Pradesh

Thousands of differently abled people in Madhya Pradesh continue to struggle for jobs as government recruitment remains stalled. Out of 37,328 posts reserved for differently abled candidates in departments, more than 21,000 remain vacant, with no official notification for recruitment in over 9,000 posts.

As time passes, many hopeful candidates find themselves on the verge of crossing the age limit, their aspirations fading into uncertainty.

Among them is Rahul Gadhwal, a Jabalpur resident who spent the last three years making endless rounds of government offices, hoping for a job. Despite submitting 15 applications and spending thousands of rupees on fees, Mr Gadhwal remains unemployed.

"I have applied in many departments, but I never received any information. We don't know whether vacancies exist or if someone else has already taken those seats," he said.

Another candidate, Rahul Vanskar from Bhopal's Bairasia, echoed a similar plight. Despite completing his DEd, passing the teacher eligibility test, and attending multiple interviews, his efforts yielded nothing. His family, dependent on a labourer's income, struggles to support him.

"Despite being qualified, disabled candidates are being pushed to the brink. Some are even forced to beg. The government announces recruitment drives, but only a handful of posts are ever advertised," he said.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court last year ordered the government to fill vacant posts reserved for differently abled people. However, the situation remains unchanged.

Data shows 8.99 lakh differently abled people have registered on the state's 'Sparsh' website. But their struggle for employment continues as bureaucratic red tape and systemic inefficiencies delay the hiring process.

Of the 8.99 lakh differently abled people registered on the Sparch website, 6 per cent is reserved in 48 departments, 37,328 posts are reserved for differently abled, 21,939 posts are still vacant, 5,771 posts are vacant in the school education department, 1,120 posts vacant in the health department, and 771 in higher education department.

No notification has come yet for 9,431 posts. At least 683 posts are vacant in the panchayat and rural development department. The recruitment process has been completed for only 2,759 posts between 2024 and 2025.

Unfulfilled Promises And Corruption

While genuine candidates struggle, instances of fraudulent recruitment through fake differently abled certificates have surfaced. In districts like Shivpuri and Morena, people got jobs using false documents, only to be revoked later when exposed. However, for thousands of eligible differently abled youth, the wait for justice and employment seems never-ending.

The issue took a political turn with the opposition Congress attacking the government for its inaction.

"Not a single disabled person has been employed in the last one and a half years. Nine lakh disabled individuals have applied, but no one has been hired. We demand that all vacant posts be filled immediately," Congress MLA Jaivardhan Singh said.

In response, Social Justice and Disabled Welfare Minister Narayan Singh Kushwaha said recruitments are going on.

"Under the special recruitment campaign, vacancies are being filled in accordance with the 6 per cent reservation policy. Some recruitments are under the Public Service Commission's purview. The process is ongoing, and the chief minister himself reviews the situation regularly," Mr Kushwaha said.