# 8.23 lakh government posts vacant, RTI data shows 2026-08-23T13:11:54+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Over eight lakh government posts remain unfilled, with one in every five sanctioned positions vacant across central ministries and departments. The data, obtained through an RTI application by Neemuch-based activist Chandra Shekhar Gaur, reveals that 8.23 lakh posts out of a total sanctioned strength of 39.25 lakh were without an employee in position. The vacancies span multiple departments, with the largest gaps in the home ministry, defence, railways, and postal services. The RTI response, received from the Department of Personnel and Training, showed that 21 per cent of sanctioned posts are currently vacant. The activist who filed the RTI said the numbers highlight a massive shortfall in government staffing. The government has not yet commented on the data or outlined a timeline for filling the vacancies. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The 21 per cent vacancy rate is not new: a 2022 parliamentary committee report flagged similar shortfalls, noting that delays in recruitment hurt service delivery. The largest gaps are in security and infrastructure ministries, where frontline posts, constables, track maintainers, postal carriers, stay empty for years while sanctioned strength grows. The Department of Personnel and Training, which provided the RTI data, also runs the central recruitment agencies. Watch for the annual recruitment calendar due next quarter: it will show whether the government plans to accelerate hiring or is comfortable with the current slack. ## Coverage - ndtv.com Straight presentation of RTI data with activist's quote, no government comment sought or included. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Chandra Shekhar Gaur, Department of Personnel and Training, RTI Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/8-23-lakh-government-posts-vacant-rti-data-shows/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/8-23-lakh-government-posts-vacant-rti-data-shows/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/