Gujarat govt looks to hire retired officers as municipality chiefs despite increasing unemployment

Even as thousands of educated youth in Gujarat struggle for government jobs, the state government has decided to forgo fresh recruitment and instead appoint retired officials as chief officers in several municipalities.

According to reports, vacant chief officer posts in municipalities of Porbandar, Kutch, Morbi, Devbhumi Dwarka, and Jamnagar districts will be filled by retired deputy collectors, mamlatdars, deputy mamlatdars, and executive engineers.

Interviews for these positions are scheduled every Monday from September 8 to December 31, until all posts are filled. Selected candidates will reportedly be offered a monthly salary ranging between ₹40,000 and ₹60,000.

The decision has triggered criticism, with youth organisations pointing out that government jobs are becoming unattainable for qualified youngsters. Critics also argue that the state has been exploiting educated youths by hiring them only on fixed-pay or contractual basis, while extending opportunities to retired officials.

This development has fuelled allegations that the government is showing undue preference to retired officers, even as unemployment among young graduates continues to rise in Gujarat.