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Exam, interview schedules hit as Punjab Public Service Commission functions without chairman for 2 months
All examination and interview schedules have been badly affected as the powers to take all the decisions are vested with the Punjab Public Service Commission chairman. The post is lying vacant since July 16 when Lt General Surinder Singh (retd) completed his tenure as the commission head.
More than 1 lakh applicants for various jobs besides the successful candidates in the Punjab Civil Services (PCS) are in a fix as the working of the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) has come to a standstill in the absence of appointment of the chairman.
All examination and interview schedules have been badly affected as the powers to take all the decisions are vested with the chairman. The post is lying vacant since July 16 when Lt General Surinder Singh (retd) completed his tenure as the commission head.
It has been nearly three months since the successful PCS candidates are awaiting their induction into job. The PCS examination results were declared on June 18. Thousands of candidates are waiting for their examinations of junior engineer, veterinary officer, school principal, assistant professor and other posts which the PPSC had advertised for.
On Wednesday, some applicants staged a protest in front of the PPSC office in Patiala.
“The written examination for sub-divisional officers (SDOs) has already been conducted but interviews are pending. Due to some queries of the state government, the final merit list of the PCS-passed candidates is still being prepared and it will be completed once the new chairman joins,” said a commission official.
Also, there are nearly 80,000 applicants for the posts of naib tehsildar.
Karamjit SIngh, secretary examination (PPSC), said, “We have planned the dates for examination and are awaiting approval. They will be notified once approved by the commission.”
According to information, of the 30 applicants for the post of PPSC chairman, three names have been shortlisted. Now, the CM has to convene a meeting with the leader of opposition and the Vidhan Sabha speaker to finalise the name of the chairman.
Admitting that the process of appointment got delayed, Suresh Kumar, chief principal secretary to the CM, said, “The post is likely to be filled by next week.”
