Parliament Question: Casual Assignees engaged by All India Radio and Prasar Bharati

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4023 (TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.08.2026) CASUAL ASSIGNEES ENGAGED BY ALL INDIA RADIO AND PRASAR BHARATI 4023. SHRI SAPTAGIRI SANKAR ULAKA: Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state: (a) the details of total number of casual assignees including Casual Announcers, Casual News Readers-cum-Translators, Casual Comperes, Casual Broadcast Assistants and other categories presently engaged by All India Radio and Prasar Bharati, State and station-wise; (b) the number of such casual assignees who have rendered continuous service for more than five, ten, fifteen and twenty years including those serving in Odisha; (c) whether the Government has reviewed their service conditions, remuneration, social security, medical benefits and job security and if so, the details thereof; (d) whether any committee or proposal for their regularisation, contractual absorption, revision of remuneration or extension of social security benefits is under consideration of the Government; and (e) if so, the measures taken to address their long-pending grievances, ensure fair service conditions and prevent exploitation of personnel engaged on a casual basis for prolonged periods? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS [DR. L. MURUGAN] (a) to (e): Prasar Bharati engages Casual Assignees purely on assignment basis for programme requirements, as per prescribed guidelines. Such engagements are not against sanctioned posts, do not confer any right to regular appointment and do not create an employer-employee relationship. Since engagements are need-based and made on assignment basis, no fixed number or tenure-wise data is maintained.Casual Assignees are free to undertake other employment and are not entitled to service benefits applicable to regular employees; however, their fee structure is reviewed from time to time. At present, no proposal for regularisation, contractual absorption, revision of remuneration or extension of social security benefits is under consideration. Representations and grievances received from Casual Assignees are examined on merit in accordance with existing policy guidelines, judicial pronouncements and administrative instructions, and operational requirements and related policies are reviewed periodically to ensure transparency and uniform implementation of the guidelines. ******