Exposing the Reality: 95% ESM Posts Remain Vacant Every Year
A recent statement highlighting the disparity in cut-off marks between general category candidates (76.82) and ex-servicemen (ESM) candidates (30.14) in the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) exams has stirred debate. While such data seems to suggest that ex-servicemen are underperforming or uninterested, the truth is far more nuanced. The statement also appeals to officers to motivate their men to pursue government jobs as a second career, citing that only 5% of ESM-reserved vacancies are utilised annually—leaving a staggering 95% surrendered.
However, this narrative presents only a half-truth. The real issues lie deeper, in structural inefficiencies, flawed recruitment policies, and lack of tailored opportunities for ex-servicemen transitioning to civilian roles.
The Illusion of Opportunity: What the Numbers Really Say
While it is true that the utilisation of ESM-reserved vacancies remains shockingly low, it is misleading to suggest that ex-servicemen are simply uninterested or unmotivated. In reality:
- Only 3–5% of total vacancies in Central, State, or PSU departments are reserved for ex-servicemen.
- A recent survey revealed that only 3% of Central Civil Services personnel come from an ex-serviceman background.
This low representation is not due to a lack of effort or skill among ESMs but rather due to a fundamentally unplanned and restrictive recruitment process.
Combatant to Civilian: Why ESMs Avoid Paramilitary Jobs
One major contributor to the under-utilisation of ESM vacancies is the concentration of reserved posts in paramilitary and police departments. These roles, while technically available, remain largely unattractive to the majority of combatant ex-servicemen, and for good reasons:
- Having served in combat zones and challenging conditions, many ESMs seek less physically strenuous and more stable roles in their second career.
- Educated and skilled ESMs prefer administrative, technical, or clerical positions, avoiding a return to field-based combat-like environments such as those in the RPF or CAPFs.
Need for Lateral Entry: A Structural Reform
To address this mismatch, the Government must introduce a robust lateral entry system for ESMs into police and paramilitary forces, especially for non-combat roles such as administration, logistics, training, and intelligence.
Such a policy would:
- Allow selection based on experience and skill rather than only written competitive exams.
- Enable automatic shortlisting of eligible ESMs who may not be able to navigate complex digital application processes.
- Prevent wastage of reserved vacancies year after year.
The Administrative Bottleneck: Multiple Selections and Vacancy Blocking
Another significant flaw in the system is the issue of multiple selections by a single candidate:
- Educated and competitive ESMs often apply and get selected in multiple departments.
- These posts remain blocked or unfilled as such candidates eventually choose only one appointment.
- Meanwhile, comparatively weaker but eligible ESMs miss the opportunity entirely.
A failure to maintain a waiting list or fast reallocation mechanism adds to the inefficiency. Ideally, once the final result is declared and the selected candidate doesn’t join within 90 days, the vacancy should be passed on to the next eligible candidate in the ESM merit list.
Conclusion: Beyond Motivation, We Need Reform
Motivating retiring personnel to apply for government jobs is only one piece of the puzzle. The deeper and more pressing need is comprehensive reform in ESM recruitment policies.
Key recommendations include:
- Introduction of lateral entry in civil, police, and paramilitary departments.
- Better digital and administrative support for form-filling and documentation.
- Waiting list management and vacancy rotation to prevent post wastage.
- Broader representation of ESMs in civil roles, not just physical roles.
Ex-servicemen bring unmatched discipline, skill, and leadership—qualities that can greatly benefit the civil sector. But unless the recruitment system aligns with their actual needs and strengths, we will continue to see a gross underutilisation of a highly capable national resource.
