The Karnataka government on Saturday, October 21 gave the nod for four Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) to commence recruitment for a staggering 13,000 driving and technical positions. This comes eight years after the last recruitment drive in 2016, during which time there was a noticeable shortage of personnel, exacerbated by the retirement of 13,669 employees.
The initial phase of the recruitment will focus on hiring 6,500 driving staff and 300 technical personnel. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is set to onboard 2,000 driver-cum-conductors and 300 technical staff while the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) plans to recruit an equal number of driver-cum-conductors. Simultaneously, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is gearing up to hire 2,500 conductors.
The Kalyan Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) has already initiated the recruitment process for 1,619 driving staff. The final selection list is expected to be released by the end of January 2024. Further, the KKRTC has secured approval for the recruitment of 300 conductors and is currently in the process of releasing a formal notification.
With this, all four RTCs have initiated recruitment for a total of 8,719 driving and technical positions.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has set a target of purchasing 5,675 new buses. This after the huge response and public appreciation for the Shakti Scheme, which offers complimentary bus rides for women across the state.
Read: 'Huge response to free travel scheme in Karnataka': CM directs to purchase 5600 more buses