The Human Resources Management Department has written to all department secretaries seeking comprehensive data on consultants, advisers and retired personnel who continue to serve in government departments under re-employment arrangements.

Sources said the exercise is part of the government's effort to review temporary appointments made during the previous regime and assess their necessity in the current administrative framework.

Officials noted that nearly 3.5 lakh vacancies remain unfilled across various government departments and public sector institutions in the State. The government is understood to be examining whether some of the functions currently handled by consultants and re-employed officials can be assigned to newly recruited personnel, with a focus on employing youth.

During the previous DMK government, several departments appointed advisers and consultants on a contractual basis. In some cases, advisers were engaged under monthly remuneration packages worth lakhs of rupees.

K Venkatesan, president of the Tamil Nadu Secretariat Association, said the association had earlier opposed large-scale appointments of advisers and the re-employment of retired staff in government departments.

"We had raised this issue with the government earlier and sought greater opportunities for young aspirants waiting for government employment," he said.

A senior Secretariat official said departments such as Law, Finance and Municipal Administration currently have a significant number of consultants, including legal experts and subject specialists.

"Many departments depend on consultants for specialised functions. If the government decides to discontinue such appointments, suitable alternative arrangements will have to be made to ensure administrative continuity," the official said.

Government sources said a policy decision would be taken after the status reports are received from all departments. The findings will be placed before Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for further consideration.