Parliamentary panel flags 14.9% vacancies in CBI, seeks reserve panel as 1,088 posts remain unfilled

Many CBI posts -- especially at the levels of inspector and superintendent of police == are filled through officers drawn from state police services. However, the DoPT indicated that suitable nominations are not always forthcoming.

• Parliamentary panel urges CBI to create a recruitment waitlist.
• CBI faces 14.9% vacancy rate, affecting operational efficiency.
• Committee recommends root cause analysis for SI cadre attrition.

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A parliamentary committee has urged the government to establish a system of maintaining a reserve panel or waitlist for recruitment in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), warning that persistent vacancies in the country’s premier investigative agency could affect its operational efficiency.

The recommendation is part of the 160th report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice. The panel, headed by BJP member Brij Lal, examined staffing levels and recruitment patterns in the agency and expressed concern over continuing shortages across several ranks.

According to the report, the CBI currently has 6,212 personnel in position against an approved strength of 7,300. This leaves a gap of 1,088 posts, translating to a vacancy level of 14.90%.

Although the situation has improved compared with the previous year, the committee said the remaining shortfall remains troubling for an agency responsible for handling complex investigations.

“To be sure, the vacancies in the CBI in 2025 have reduced to 14.90% from 20.57% in 2024,” the report noted, while stressing that a staffing gap of nearly fifteen per cent in a key investigative body should not be overlooked.

Highlighting the consequences of such vacancies, the panel said that a portion of the problem stems from candidates recommended for recruitment who ultimately decide not to join the organisation.

“The committee notes that one of the major reasons for vacancies under the Direct Recruitment quota is that certain candidates recommended by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Staff Selection Commission (SSC) do not ultimately join the organisation, resulting in persistent shortfalls.”

To address this issue, the committee suggested a structural change in the recruitment process so that positions vacated by non-joining candidates can be filled quickly.

“The committee is of the view that such avoidable vacancies should not be allowed to spill over and affect operational efficiency. The committee, therefore, recommends that a system of maintaining a reserve panel or waitlist, in consultation with the recruiting agencies, may be institutionalised so that vacancies arising due to this phenomenon can be filled in a time-bound manner without initiating a fresh recruitment cycle,” the report states.

Officials from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) informed the panel that staffing shortages arise from several other factors as well. Among them is the limited number of officers being nominated by state police organisations for deputation to the central agency.

Traditionally, many CBI posts -- especially at the levels of inspector and superintendent of police == are filled through officers drawn from state police services. However, the DoPT indicated that suitable nominations are not always forthcoming.

Additional administrative hurdles were also identified. In some instances, departments that lend officers delay forwarding essential documentation even after the CBI selects personnel for deputation. In other cases, state units are unable to identify officers with the required expertise, leading to rejections during scrutiny.

Vacancies also arise in promotion categories due to the absence of officers who meet the eligibility requirements for elevation.

The panel devoted particular attention to the situation in the sub-inspector cadre. The report records that 77 positions remain unfilled out of the 500 sanctioned posts in this rank as of December 31, 2025.

Beyond the vacancies themselves, the committee flagged a worrying trend of departures from this level of the organisation.

“Considering that sub-inspector is the feeder grade for supervisory positions and forms the backbone of investigation work, the Committee views this as a matter of serious concern.”

The panel also observed that attrition appears relatively high in this category, which could weaken the agency’s long-term investigative capacity.

To understand the underlying causes, it recommended a deeper assessment of the issues affecting officers in this rank.

It suggested that “a detailed root cause analysis be undertaken to examine the reasons for attrition in the SI cadre, including issues relating to workload, career progression, working conditions, transfers, training, and inter-organisational mobility. Based on such analysis, appropriate corrective measures may be introduced to enhance retention and morale.”