Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati is set to undergo a major human resources restructuring to address a long-standing issue of understaffing, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has told the parliamentary standing committee on communications and IT.
The broadcaster, which operates Doordarshan and All India Radio, has more than 30,000 vacancies against a sanctioned strength of 45,791. Of these, 13,970 are in Doordarshan and 16,251 in All India Radio (AIR).
Prasar Bharati is an autonomous statutory body under the MIB.
The committee, chaired by Nishikant Dubey, noted that due to the acute shortage of permanent employees, Prasar Bharati has been meeting its operational needs by engaging a large number of contractual staff. These temporary hires are supporting programme production and manning new operations, including those linked to the broadcaster's recently launched OTT platform.
The restructuring exercise, undertaken with Ernst & Young (EY), has been divided into two phases. Phase I, nearing completion, involved a manpower audit and recommendations for rationalisation.
EY has proposed the creation of 14,902 posts, subject to reforms such as outsourcing non-core engineering work, drivers, and security staff, as well as transmitter maintenance. It also recommended closure of 28 programme generating facilities, 31 AIR channels, 81 local radio stations, and 78 transmitters, citing redundancy and resource constraints.
The ministry said the move to the proposed headcount will be gradual, taking several years. In the interim, EY has indicated a requirement for 8,000 additional staff beyond its recommendations to sustain operations. Divisional heads have separately sought 2,784 more posts, or about 18-20% above the suggested figure.
EY has also identified 3,130 critical positions to be filled on priority. Recruitment for these roles has been scheduled in three stages between April 2025 and December 2026. Remaining vacancies will be filled progressively, depending on retirements and organisational needs.
The consultant further recommended new roles in digital media, OTT platforms, corporate strategy, marketing, and compliance, alongside reskilling and redeployment of existing staff. These measures aim to align Prasar Bharati with shift towards digital and on-demand broadcasting.
Phase II, yet to commence, will focus on training, capacity building, and change management. It is expected to be completed within six months of the work order. However, restructuring of posts could take longer as it requires approvals from the Prasar Bharati Board, the ministry, and the department of expenditure. Officials clarified that phase II can still run parallel with reforms such as outsourcing and automation.
The broadcaster, which operates Doordarshan and All India Radio, has more than 30,000 vacancies against a sanctioned strength of 45,791. Of these, 13,970 are in Doordarshan and 16,251 in All India Radio (AIR).
Prasar Bharati is an autonomous statutory body under the MIB.
The committee, chaired by Nishikant Dubey, noted that due to the acute shortage of permanent employees, Prasar Bharati has been meeting its operational needs by engaging a large number of contractual staff. These temporary hires are supporting programme production and manning new operations, including those linked to the broadcaster's recently launched OTT platform.
The restructuring exercise, undertaken with Ernst & Young (EY), has been divided into two phases. Phase I, nearing completion, involved a manpower audit and recommendations for rationalisation.
EY has proposed the creation of 14,902 posts, subject to reforms such as outsourcing non-core engineering work, drivers, and security staff, as well as transmitter maintenance. It also recommended closure of 28 programme generating facilities, 31 AIR channels, 81 local radio stations, and 78 transmitters, citing redundancy and resource constraints.
The ministry said the move to the proposed headcount will be gradual, taking several years. In the interim, EY has indicated a requirement for 8,000 additional staff beyond its recommendations to sustain operations. Divisional heads have separately sought 2,784 more posts, or about 18-20% above the suggested figure.
EY has also identified 3,130 critical positions to be filled on priority. Recruitment for these roles has been scheduled in three stages between April 2025 and December 2026. Remaining vacancies will be filled progressively, depending on retirements and organisational needs.
The consultant further recommended new roles in digital media, OTT platforms, corporate strategy, marketing, and compliance, alongside reskilling and redeployment of existing staff. These measures aim to align Prasar Bharati with shift towards digital and on-demand broadcasting.
Phase II, yet to commence, will focus on training, capacity building, and change management. It is expected to be completed within six months of the work order. However, restructuring of posts could take longer as it requires approvals from the Prasar Bharati Board, the ministry, and the department of expenditure. Officials clarified that phase II can still run parallel with reforms such as outsourcing and automation.
