Forensic and police in a crime scene in Hyderabad. | Photo credit: file photo
Telangana has become the state with the highest vacancy rate of scientific personnel in forensic laboratories, with a 91% internship or Public Lypant, almost double the national average of 49.1%.
In contrast, the administrative vacancies rate, only 7.7%, one of the lowest in the country is.
The 2025 edition of the India Justice Report It reveals that in all states, almost half of the 7,997 positions sanctioned in several forensic laboratories remain without filling, drowning the criminal justice system and causing severe delays in investigation and trial processes.
Nationally, only one third of sanctioned scientific positions are occupied. The Mobile Forensic Units of the District (DMFUS), which serve as lifeguards to the crime scenes, have a little staff, with only 341 scientific personnel deployed in 582 units.
Interestingly, the scenario of forensic personnel in Telangana reflects an imbalance marked among vacancies of administrative and scientific personnel.
Administrative staff, including directors, additional directors, joint directors, attached directors and attendees directors, manage laboratory operations, budget, infrastructure and quality control. While scientific staff, scientific officers, laboratory attendees and attendees, carry out forensic tests, evidence analysis of the crime scene and prepare expert technical reports that are critical in court.
The Telangan Forensic Laboratories are partly hindered despite the strong police indicators of the State. Since forensic science is essential to ensure sentences, especially in severe cases such as violation, murder, cybercrime and another serious offensive, the lack of qualified personnel has cascade effects.
The director of the Forensic Science Laboratory of Telangana (FSL), Shikha Goel, said the department has recovered the approvals of the state government. “The recruitment is expected to begin soon. We have also written to the Recruitment Board for the same. The efforts to complete vacancies are already underway,” said the officer.
The State has a FSL at the state level and six regional laboratories in Mahabubnagar, Kammeddy, Warangal, Karimnagar, Khammam and Mancherial. Currently, these are collectively managed by 175 personnel, or that only 46 were permanent scientific officers.
“Our forensic staff is just 1% of what is needed,” says Vasudev Raju, a Hyderabad defender.
Citing an example of a case in a more front country, he said that the conviction was assured of something as precise as a glass print. “This is how it is the vital coroner. In India, criminals not wearing gloves, and we still can’t gather and process evidence that our laboratories are poorly equipped. The police are overloaded with routine tasks. Case where a murder was resolved
India has 711 Forensic facilities, including State Laboratories of Forensic Sciences (SFSL), Regional FSLS (RFSL) and DMFU. These units are a response to examine and analyze physical evidence and present scientific reports to the police and courts. Each of the facilities must be equipped and attended according to the rules of the Police Investigation and Development Office (BPR & D) introduced in 2023.
The order portfolio is an internship. From 2023, the cases of 3.6 Lakh expected a forensic analysis in 26 states, the report said. The situation has not only slowed the processes of the courts, but also has committed the quality of criminal investigations.
Published – April 18, 2025 07:29 PM IST