Bachelor's; Master's degree-holders secure jobs as sanitary workers

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

In the post-globalisation era, youths generally aspire to pursue higher education, earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and secure respectable white-collar or decent jobs. However, an adverse trend has been noted in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC), wherein even well-educated individuals—armed with graduation and postgraduate degrees—opt for secured jobs as sanitary workers.

These are wards of Class IV personnel who retired after working as security guards, peons, sweepers, sanitary workers, etc. As per the Lad-Page Committee recommendation, the Group D personnel (from the Scheduled Caste category) can recommend their official successor for the job on his/her retirement. Illiterate wards can also apply. Accordingly, the CSMC issued an appointment order of 55 candidates, duly signed by the municipal corporation administrator, G Sreekanth, on April 11, 2025. According to Establishment Section (II), as per the 7th pay commission recommendation, the pay band for these new sanitary workers (S1 category) is 15,000 - 47,600. Precisely, their salary will be around Rs 30,000 from the first month.

B.Tech, M.P.Ed, etc candidates as sanitary workers

Of all 55 candidates appointed, one is a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, one each is Master in Arts (M.A) and Master in Physical Education (M.P.Ed); 13 are graduates in Arts, Science and Commerce and seven are 12th pass. There are five illiterates as well. However, few of the candidates seemed to have joined the service planfully as they had done a sanitary inspector course besides their regular qualification.

Candidate Abhiman Barsakhale said, “ I am M.P.Ed, but the opportunities were limited. I tried to make a career, but there is a huge favouritism in the appointment of teachers/physical education teachers. This is the reason why I applied for the job as a successor to my father.”

An expert opined, “There is a huge scope of promotions for these sanitary workers in future. If fortune favours, the highly qualified candidates can reach Class II category posts. There are ample examples of a similar kind in the municipal corporation in past.”

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Will be elevated to the Class III category

The additional municipal commissioner, Ranjit Patil, confirmed that there are a few candidates who are highly educated.

“We have appointed them as sanitary workers as per the Lad Page Commission recommendation on retirement (regular or VRS) of their parents. Presently, we do not have a vacancy to accommodate them as per their qualification. However, in future, we will elevate their status in the Class III category. This assurance has even been mentioned in the common appointment order,” said the additional commissioner.