Staffing strain inside Telangana’s forensic labs, 91% scientific posts vacant

Forensic and police officials at a crime scene in Hyderabad.
| Photo Credit: File photo

Telangana has emerged as the State with the highest vacancy rate of scientific personnel in forensic laboratories, with a staggering 91% of posts lying vacant, nearly double the national average of 49.1%.

In contrast, the administrative vacancy rate is just 7.7%, one of the lowest in the country.

The 2025 edition of the India Justice Report reveals that across all States, nearly half of the 7,997 sanctioned posts in various forensic laboratories remain unfilled, choking the criminal justice system and causing severe delays in investigation and trial processes.

Nationwide, only one-third of sanctioned scientific posts are occupied. District Mobile Forensic Units (DMFUs), which serve as first responders to crime scenes, are critically understaffed, with just 341 scientific personnel deployed across 582 units.

Interestingly, the forensic staffing scenario in Telangana reflects a stark imbalance between administrative and scientific personnel vacancies.

Administrative staff, including directors, additional directors, joint directors, deputy directors, and assistant directors, manage the labs’ operations, budgeting, infrastructure, and quality control. While scientific personnel – scientific officers, lab assistants, and attendants – perform forensic tests, analyse crime scene evidence, and prepare expert technical reports that are critical in the court.

Telangana’s forensic labs are particularly hamstrung despite the State’s otherwise strong policing indicators. With forensic science being central to securing convictions, especially in serious cases such as rape, murder, cybercrime, and other serious offences, the lack of qualified personnel has cascading effects.

Telangana Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) Director Shikha Goel said that the department has received approvals from the State government. “Recruitment for 60 permanent staff is expected to start soon. We have also written to the recruitment board for the same. Efforts for filling up vacancies are already underway,” the officer said. 

The State has one State-level FSL and six regional laboratories in Mahabubnagar, Kamareddy, Warangal, Karimnagar, Khammam and Mancherial. Currently, these are collectively manned by 175 personnel, of whom only 40 are permanent scientific officers.

“Our forensic staffing is barely 1% of what’s needed,” says Vasudev Raju, an advocate in Hyderabad.

Citing an example from a case in a foreign country, he said that conviction was secured from something as precise as an ear print on glasspane. “That’s how vital forensics is. In India, offenders often don’t even wear gloves — and we still fail to gather and process evidence because our labs are under-equipped. The police are overburdened with routine duties. Forensics isn’t a luxury; it’s central to justice. I recall a Hyderabad case where a murder was solved because hair strands found in the victim’s hand matched the killer. That’s the kind of support we need to strengthen and speed up convictions.”

India has 711 forensic facilities, including State Forensic Science Laboratories (SFSLs), Regional FSLs (RFSLs), and DMFUs. These units are responsible for examining and analysing physical evidence and submitting scientific reports to police and courts. Each of the facilities are to be equipped and staffed as per the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) norms introduced in 2023.

The backlog is staggering. As of 2023, 3.6 lakh cases awaited forensic analysis across 26 States, the report noted. The situation has not only slowed down court proceedings but also compromised the quality of criminal investigations.