Vacancies in Passport Offices: Lok Sabha Q&A

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 803

VACANCIES IN PASSPORT OFFICES

803 . Shri PARAYAMPARANBIL KUTTAPPAN BIJU

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:-

(a) whether a number of posts are lying vacant in different Passport Offices /Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) in the country; 

(b) if so, the details thereof, PSK-wise and category-wise; 

(c) whether the Government proposes to fill up these vacancies at the earliest; and 

(d) if so, the effective steps contemplated in this direction and if not,the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (GEN. RETD. V.K. SINGH) 

(a) & (b) As on date, the sanctioned cadre strength of the Central Passport Organization (Passport Offices) is 2697. The details of category-wise vacancies are as under:

Post No. of vacancies

Passport Officer 4

Deputy Passport Officer 11

Assistant Passport Officer 76

Passport Granting Officer 50

Assistant 208

UDC 316

UDC (Hindi) 04

LDC 57

Stenographer 09

Hindi Translator 10

Total 745

(c) & (d) The Government has taken several steps to fill up the existing vacancies by recruitment through the Staff Selection Commission, fast-track promotion and deputation, wherever applicable. The Ministry has recently invited applications from suitable candidates to fill up the vacant posts through deputation at the level of Passport Officer, Deputy Passport Officer and Assistant Passport Officer. An indent to fill up vacant posts of Lower Division Clerk has already been placed with the Staff Selection Commission. Pending filling up of vacancies on regular basis, the Ministry has engaged upto 450 Data Entry Operators in the Passport Offices against vacant non-gazetted posts.

Source: Lok Sabha Q&A