The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been hit by a standstill in promotions and recruitment due to multiple court cases, officials said. The dispute has prevented the department from filling vacancies and granting promotions to Assistant Archaeological Superintendents.
Assistant Archaeological Superintendents hold Group ‘A’ status and play a key role linking field operations and administration. Their duties include conducting excavations in archaeological circles, maintaining protected monuments, and inspecting ancient temples, forts and inscriptions to ensure they are preserved without damage.
As per the process, eligible Assistant Archaeological Superintendents with five years of experience can seek promotion as Deputy Archaeological Superintendent through a UPSC selection. One-third of the vacancies are reserved for serving staff, while the remaining posts are filled through direct recruitment.
In 2024, a selection was held for 67 Deputy Archaeological Superintendent posts, but no Assistant Archaeological Superintendent was selected, as they had crossed the upper age limit. They challenged this in court, following which the UPSC process and promotions were halted.
Officials said the department is also unable to fill 2,646 vacant posts across various ranks, leading to severe staff shortages and disruption of work. They added that the pending cases are expected to be resolved within the week, after which recruitment and promotions could resume.
