Ludhiana: Educators question handling of recruitment process by Punjab govt

The move follows writ petitions from some candidates alleging irregularities in the selection process of 1,091 assistant professors and 67 librarians in government colleges across the state

With the Department of Higher Education in Punjab recently forming scrutiny committees to verify the documents of 1,091 assistant professors and 67 librarians recruited in government colleges across the state, educators in the city have questioned the government’s handling of the selection process. The panels were formed after some candidates filed petitions alleging irregularities in the merit-based selection process.

The 1,158 educators were appointed on sanctioned posts in September last year following a high court directive to retain them. (HT File)

These 1,158 educators were appointed on sanctioned posts in September after a high court directive to retain them. However, the decision to scrutinise the appointments has raised questions about the department’s handling of the selection process. Selection committees had revisited and prepared tentative lists, prompting the formation of scrutiny committees to ensure transparency.

Paramjeet Singh, an assistant professor at SCD College, who was among those 1,158 teachers, explained, “The scrutiny aims to address complaints and fill vacancies in key subjects. Most selected candidates are unlikely to be affected barring a few cases related to horizontal and vertical reservations.”

Despite this, concerns linger among educators. A government college guest faculty member, speaking on the condition of anonymity, criticised the process. “Why were these teachers recruited overnight without proper verification? Now, the department is redoing what should have been done earlier. This raises serious doubts about its efficiency,” the faculty member said.

Amardeep Kaur, representing the Guest Faculty United Front, highlighted another issue. “Many guest faculty members, who have been working for over a decade, were replaced by these newly recruited teachers. To make matters worse, many of us haven’t received our salaries since their appointments,” she said.

Meanwhile, Suman Lata, the scrutiny committee’s convener for Punjabi, said they were only tasked with reviewing unplaced candidates. “We do not know the exact purpose of this move,” she stated.

An official from the Directorate of Public Instructions (Colleges), requesting anonymity, clarified the situation. “The scrutiny is to address complaints and revise results based on merit. However, any changes to the list will ultimately be decided at the government level,” the official said.

Currently, positions in subjects such as English, Hindi, Punjabi and Education remain unfilled, with 411 candidates still awaiting appointment letters. As the scrutiny process unfolds, the government faces mounting pressure to resolve the concerns of both selected candidates and long-serving guest faculty, ensuring a fair and transparent outcome.