Ranchi: The govt on Thursday issued an advertisement for the recruitment of 526 ex-servicemen across 17 central, divisional, district, and open jails on a contractual basis to address the acute manpower shortage in state prisons.The ex-servicemen will be recruited as jail wardens at central jails located in Hazaribag and Dumka, divisional jails located in Bokaro, Dhanbad, Koderma, Chatra, Giridih, Jamtara, Godda, Pakur, Sahibganj, and Deoghar, besides open jails in Rajmahal, Tenughat, Ramgarh, Barhi, and Hazaribag.The Prison Statistics of India 2024 report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in May this year revealed that 62.9% of the sanctioned prison staff positions in Jharkhand is lying vacant, one of the highest vacancy rates in the country.Out of the 2,721 sanctioned posts for staff across 32 jails in the state, only 1,008 were filled up in 2024, leaving 1,713 posts vacant. Hence, each of the 816 jail officials had to manage 19 inmates on an average. Also, 81 medical staff were available for 16,201 inmates. Out of the sanctioned posts of 29 jailors and 67 assistant jailors, only six were filled up in each of the posts, the report states.Inspector General of Prisons (IGP) Sudarshan Kumar Mandal said, “The large-scale recruitment drive of ex-servicemen is aimed at strengthening prison security and improving the functioning of correctional institutions that have been grappling with staff shortage, ensuring smooth functioning of the jails in the state.”The walk-in interviews would be conducted at the Lok Nayak Jayprakash Narayan Central Jail, Hazaribag, on Aug 12 and at the Dumka Central Jail on Sept 3. The applicants must not be above 55 years of age as on June 1. Young ex-servicemen will be prioritised, he added.“The 526 ex-servicemen, including 485 men and 41 women, would be engaged against a fixed monthly remuneration of Rs 20,000 for a period of one year. Their tenure might be extended, if required,” the IGP stated.
