India, Oct. 30 -- The state home department on Wednesday approved a mega recruitment drive for the Mumbai Police, allowing the force to hire 2,479 constables to fill vacancies arising from retirements till December 2024.

Joint commissioner of police (administration) S. Jayakumar said the recruitment will address the staff shortage that has persisted since the Covid-19 pandemic, when no new hiring took place. On average, around 1,500 constables retire each year, creating a significant manpower gap. Applications for the new constable posts are open till November 30, and the selected candidates are expected to join by the end of 2026, after completing their training.

To cope with the shortfall, the Mumbai Police have been relying on person...