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Ludhiana: Vacant agriculture posts: PAU students’ sit-in enters Day 120, hiring demand unmet
Punjab Agricultural University students' sit-in reaches 120 days, demanding action on vacant agriculture department posts, with protests set to intensify.
The sit-in by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) students entered its 120th day on Wednesday, with no assurance yet from the government on filling vacant posts in the agriculture department and allied bodies.
The students braved the peak winter cold, but the protest recently slowed as many prioritised examinations and classes. However, Agricultural Students Union leader Angrej Mann said the agitation would intensify now that exams are over.
Angrej said large-scale vacancies continue across departments: 380 of 934 posts of agriculture development officer, 315 of 725 agriculture sub-inspector posts, 105 of 115 market secretary posts, 139 of 225 horticulture development officer posts, 18 of 23 district mandi officer posts, and 130 of 226 soil conservation officer posts are lying vacant.
The protest began on September 26. Since then, students have met the governor, cabinet ministers and senior bureaucrats, demanding immediate recruitment in the agriculture department, Mandi Board, horticulture department, Markfed, Punjab Seed Corporation and other allied bodies, along with the creation of posts for agriculture teachers.
Earlier this month, the students met agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian during his visit to the university and submitted a memorandum. Student leader Mandeep Singh said the minister assured them that their demands would be addressed “soon”, but no timeline was given.
On December 5, the students also met joint director of agriculture Narinder Singh Benipal. Angrej said the director informed them that a proposal highlighting the need for agriculture officers had been sent to agriculture secretary Arshdeep Singh Thind. The students also recalled chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s poll promise to appoint agriculture teachers. “CM Mann had promised that he would appoint agriculture students as agriculture teachers to guide farmers,” Angrej said, adding, “But there has been no deliberation on making any such post since he took over.”
“This issue has been raised for nearly three years now,” Angrej said. “If there are no government jobs for agriculture students, then what are these degrees for? What is this agricultural university for?”
