Mumbai: A total of 18,12,538 applications have been received against the 18,331 vacancies of police constables and drivers. Also, 63 transgenders have filled the forms for constable post while five of them are aspiring to be drivers.
Of total applicants, 94,245 are yet to pay the processing fee, for which they have a 72-hour window to deposit the money. According to officials, several times the payment gateway is closed for maintenance hence the applicants are unable to make the payment. Even after transferring the charge, it sometimes reflects late in the account, it was added.
Additional Director General of Police Sanjay Kumar (Training and Special squad) said that the applicants who have filled the online form can pay the fee within 72 hours after the end of the application deadline; which was Thursday, 11.59 pm.
After the Bombay High Court's intervention, the Maharashtra government allowed the transgender to participate in the recruitment process. Earlier, there was no option of third gender in the online application process. The HC had warned that it would halt the entire recruitment process if there is no space for transgenders. It also pulled up the state for lagging behind in framing rules with respect to third gender's physical examinations. The HC has also directed the government to set the rules by February 28, 2023, and then hold physical tests followed by written examinations. “It is directed that till rules are framed and physical tests are conducted, the state shall not proceed to conduct written tests,” the bench had said.
The recruitment process for 2021 could not be undertaken due to the Covid restrictions, resulting in delayed recruitment in 2022.
