Delhi to Recruit 15,000 More Home Guards

Delhi to Boost Home Guard Ranks by 15,000

Delhi is set to significantly bolster its home guard force, with the Delhi government announcing plans to recruit an additional 15,000 personnel. This recruitment drive will increase the total number of home guards in the city to over 25,000, a substantial expansion of the existing force.

Enrolment Ceremony and Future Plans

Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recently presided over an enrolment ceremony, distributing appointment letters to 1,669 newly recruited home guards. These individuals were selected from a pool of applicants who responded to a recruitment process initiated in January for 10,000 positions. The LG emphasized the government’s commitment to expanding the home guard force, highlighting the upcoming recruitment of an additional 15,000 personnel.

Diverse Recruitment Pool

The newly appointed home guards represent a diverse group. Among them are 226 former civil defence volunteers (CDVs) who previously served as bus marshals. The new recruits also include 181 women, demonstrating a commitment to gender inclusivity within the force.

Addressing Legal Challenges

The initial recruitment process for 10,285 home guards faced some legal hurdles. Following a court challenge by some candidates, the appointment of 7,939 candidates was temporarily suspended. However, the LG directed the immediate appointment of 2,346 candidates who had successfully completed the physical and written tests, and subsequently cleared the medical examination. Of these, 1669 received their appointment letters at the recent ceremony. The remaining vacancies are expected to be filled once the ongoing legal matters are resolved.

High Applicant Interest

The recruitment drive attracted significant interest, with over 1.09 lakh applications received for the 10,285 vacancies. However, only 32,511 applicants appeared for the physical test. The LG has instructed the director general (home guards) to expedite the filling of the remaining 7,939 positions once the court cases are concluded, ensuring the timely expansion of Delhi’s home guard force.