Madhya Pradesh: Quota Row Stalls Hiring Of 8,500 Cops

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Recruitment of 8,500 police personnel, including 7,500 constables and 1,000 sub-inspectors and clerical staff, has hit a roadblock due to ambiguity over reservation policies and coordination issues between Police Headquarters (PHQ) and Employees Selection Board (ESB).

The recruitment process, announced by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav in July 2024 during a Police Band programme, was expected to offer a major boost to state police force. In December, the PHQ expanded the scope by including 500 sub-inspector posts and 500 clerical positions (stenographers, assistants, etc.).

However, despite the initial momentum, the process has since stalled. According to ESB Director Sanket Malviya, the PHQ last communicated with the board nearly two months ago, requesting ESB to prepare for recruitment exam.

“We are ready to conduct the exam, just as we have done in previous years, but PHQ has not yet provided rulebook or post details, which are necessary to release the recruitment notification,” Malviya said.

On the other side, ADG (Selection & Recruitment) Sonali Mishra said that the delay stems from uncertainties related to reservation policies and requirement for candidates to be registered on the employment portal. “We have referred the matter to state government for clarification.

Once approval is received, we will forward the finalised details to ESB, and the recruitment process will commence,” she said.