The apex body for child rights, NCPCR, today invited applications to fill vacant posts following a rap from the Delhi High Court last month.
In February, the Delhi High Court had directed the Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry to fill up vacancies in the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) within 90 days.
As per the statutory mandate under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act 2005, the panel should have six members and a chairperson. However, three positions of members have been lying vacant for nearly three years, when the current commission was appointed.
The ministry has invited applications for the three posts that have been unoccupied since 2015, as well as for the remaining three positions of members whose terms will expire in November.
The openings are in the field of "juvenile justice or care of neglected or marginalised children or children with disabilities, elimination of child labour or children in distress, child psychology or sociology," as per the advertisement published in newspapers today.
Posts will also be filled in the field of child healthcare, welfare and child development, laws relating to children and education.
These positions are for a term of three years.
An official of the NCPCR said the body will also seek applications for the post of chairperson as the term of the incumbent expires in September.
As per rules, salary and allowances payable to members is equivalent to those of an Additional Secretary of the Government of India.
The NCPCR is a statutory body and it was set up in March, 2007 under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 . It is under the administrative control of the WCD Ministry.