9 hours ago
KSRTC Resumes Recruitment After 8 Years, Appoints 2,000 Driver-cum-Conductors
Bengaluru: In a major move towards workforce expansion and service enhancement, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has resumed recruitment after an eight-year hiatus, formally appointing 2,000 Driver-cum-Conductor candidates. A symbolic distribution ceremony was held at the KSRTC Central Office in Bengaluru on Monday, where Transport and Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy, KSRTC Chairman and Gubbi MLA S.R. Srinivas (Vasu), and Vice Chairman Mohammed Rizwan Nawab handed over appointment letters to 51 top-scoring candidates.
Addressing the newly appointed staff, Minister Ramalinga Reddy emphasized that the recruitment process had been conducted with complete transparency, devoid of any manual interference. All selections, he asserted, were based strictly on merit. Congratulating the candidates, he urged them to serve the public responsibly, particularly highlighting the importance of courteous behavior toward women and students and alertness while driving to ensure passenger safety. He noted that the Corporation, which had faced several challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, is now on the path to financial recovery. Several employee welfare initiatives have been implemented, including the provision of free medical services to staff and their dependents.
Chairman S.R. Srinivas remarked that recruitment had been delayed for years and could only resume after proactive discussions with the government. He reiterated that the selection process was fair and merit-based and urged the newly appointed personnel to approach their duties with seriousness and dedication, contributing to the Corporation's financial health and public service mission. Vice Chairman Mohammed Rizwan Nawab also extended his congratulations to the recruits and reminded them of the immense responsibility they now carry in ensuring quality public transport.
The recruitment drive, which began with a notification in 2020, was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak and resumed only after the state government's approval in October 2023. For the 2,000 posts, over 25,000 applications were received. Out of these, nearly 14,000 candidates were deemed eligible for a computerized driving skill test, conducted at Humnabad and Hassan training centers. A provisional selection list was published earlier this month, followed by a seven-day objection period. The final list was released on June 12, with computerized counseling being conducted from June 16 to June 19. The selected candidates are expected to report to their assigned divisions or depots by July 5.
In addition to the new appointments, KSRTC has also offered compassionate employment to over 200 dependents of deceased employees over the past year. In total, the Corporation has filled around 2,500 posts over the last 18 months. It continues to roll out several initiatives aimed at improving employee welfare and service efficiency.
As part of the ongoing Shakti Guarantee Scheme, which recently completed two years, 478 crore women have availed free travel across state-run transport services, amounting to a ticket value of over ₹12,000 crore. KSRTC has also implemented the Sarige Suraksha scheme, offering ₹1 crore insurance coverage to the families of employees who die in accidents, whether on duty or off. To date, 26 families have received this compensation. Recognizing the growing number of natural deaths among employees, the Corporation has also revised its Family Welfare Relief Scheme, increasing the compensation from ₹3 lakh to ₹10 lakh. So far, 125 families have received a total of ₹12.5 crore under the revised scheme.
The event was attended by several senior officials, including KSRTC Managing Director Akram Pasha (IAS), Director of Personnel and Vigilance Dr. Nandinidevi K. (IAS), and Director of IT Ibrahim Maigur (IAS), along with union leaders, Corporation staff, and other dignitaries.
