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Recruitments stalled as PPSC headless since September
The commission, which recruits the class-1 officers, has been without a regular chairman since March 2023, when the last incumbent Jagbans Singh Powar retired
The work at the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) has been stalled for the past nine months due to the non-appointment of a regular chairman, many aspirants rue that some of them are likely to get overage and lose opportunities to land government jobs.
The commission, which recruits the class-1 officers, has been without a regular chairman since March 2023, when the last incumbent Jagbans Singh Powar retired. On April 10, PPSC member professor Jamit Kaur Teji was appointed as officiating chairperson of the PPSC. She also retired on September 29, 2023. Since then, PPSC has conducted no exams or done any new appointments. The PPSC has so far deferred three exams.
In June 2023, the personnel department had invited the applications for the post of chairman. Due to the non-availability of the chairman, the test for PCS (selection from in-service government employees), principals of schools, and electrical inspectors, among others, have been deferred indefinitely.
A PPSC official said the new dates for exams will be released after the new chairman is appointed or any PPSC member is given the charge. “The power to conduct tests and interviews is vested with the chairman,” the PPSC official added.
Sukhjit Singh, an aspirant from Patiala, said that since 1998, the PPSC has conducted PCS exams in 2011, 2016 and 2020, and after that, there have been no exams.
“Many aspirants got overage as the PPSC remained dysfunctional firstly because of criminal cases and later it didn’t conduct exams regularly. When UPSC can conduct the exam every year, why PPSC is not following the same pattern. An exam every year will bring the best talent”, he said.
Similarly, Bhavjinder Singh said it is unfair that the government has yet to decide on the new chairman. “Many aspirants from 2000 to 2010 didn’t even get a chance to appear in the exam. We don’t want a repeat of such a situation, and there should be an immediate decision on the chairman of PPSC,” he said.
An official said various departments of Punjab have sent requisitions for filling of posts to PPSC, but no decision has been taken to start the process.
Despite repeated attempts Shruti Singh, secretary personnel, could not be reached for a response.
