News
Public sector understaffed: Report flags 248,000 cadre shortfall
View(s):By Sandun Jayawardana
The 2025 Public Sector Cadre Information Report, which has been tabled in Parliament, reveals widespread staff shortages in many key areas of the public sector.
According to the report compiled by the Department of Management Services of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the total approved public sector cadre comprises 1,325,123 posts in ministries, departments, special spending units, provincial councils, and state-owned enterprises. The actual number of employees in the public sector was 1,076,625 as of June 30, 2025. This points to a significant shortfall of 248,498 vacancies across the entire public sector. 
The shortages are most pronounced at the tertiary and senior staff level. While there are 57,983 approved senior-level positions, the actual number is 43,427, indicating a deficit of 14,556. The situation at the tertiary level is even worse, with only 27,774 positions filled out of 42,797, leading to 15,023 vacancies at this level.
There are 60,540 positions vacant across the nine provincial councils, according to the report.
Among government ministries, their departments and SOEs coming under them, the Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry is the most understaffed, with 34,414 vacancies. The Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Ministry comes next with 32,614 vacancies. The Health and Mass Media Ministry is the third most understaffed, with 26,643 vacancies.
The Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation accounts for 18,910 vacancies, while the Defence Ministry has 16,445. The Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Ministries have more than 10,000 vacancies.
Of the independent commissions listed under Special Spending Units, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has the largest number of vacancies—2569. The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), which has been vocal in the recent past regarding its lack of staff, has a shortfall of 734 positions, with just 238 existing staff members out of an approved cadre of 972.
The National Audit Office, meanwhile, also has a shortage of 543 staff.
| A health sector sans 1000 doctors and 3000 nurses Health Minister Dr Nalinda Jayatissa has told Parliament that there were over 1,000 vacancies of senior doctors and more than 3,000 vacancies of nurses. The Minister gave a breakdown of the doctors and nurses who have left the country on leave and not returned to the country and those who have resigned since 2023. He also gave figures of those who have resigned or vacated their posts over the past three years. The largest number of medical professionals had left the country in 2023 soon after the economic crisis. | |
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