The Haryana Staff Selection Commission will conduct a written examination on August 23 to conclude the selection process that began in 2006 for recruiting physical training instructors (PTIs), in compliance with the apex court orders.
The exam for the post of the instructors will be conducted in five districts -- Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panipat, Kaithal and Hisar -- in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court, a state government statement said here on Thursday.
This will be the first written exam in the state to be conducted at the centres amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the statement, the HSSC shall conclude the entire selection process initiated by an advertisement and the criterion notified on December 28, 2006, which is holding objective type written test of 200 marks and viva-voce of 25 marks.
“As many as 9,273 candidates have been issued admit cards for which total 95 exam centres have been established across five districts,” it said.
The District Magistrates shall impose Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) banning assembly of four or more people in the vicinity of the exam centres.
{{/usCountry}}The District Magistrates shall impose Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) banning assembly of four or more people in the vicinity of the exam centres.
{{/usCountry}}The statement said the instructors who were terminated due to court orders can also participate in the examination process.
In April this year, the SC had upheld the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court quashing appointment of 1,983 PTIs in schools of Haryana in 2010, and asked the HSSC to conduct the recruitment process afresh.
The apex court had upheld the verdicts passed by the single and division benches of the high court quashing the appointment process conducted during the then Congress government.
The single judge bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, on September 11, 2012, had set aside the selection of the 1,983 instructors made by the commission on April 10, 2010 in pursuance of the advertisement issued in 2006 on account of changes made in the selection process.
The decision was upheld by the division bench of the HC.
The sacked instructors, who teach physical education and related subjects in government schools, have demanded that they be reinstated.
Senior leader of opposition Congress, Randeep Singh Surjewala, had recently urged the Haryana government to reinstate the sacked PTIs by issuing an ordinance and ratifying it through a Bill passed by the state legislature.
According to the state government statement, Haryana Chief Secretary Keshni Anand Arora had held a video conference on Wednesday with Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of all the five districts where the exams will be held.
Arora directed the officials to maintain strict vigil and ensure foolproof arrangements for safety and security of candidates, maintaining the law and order and smooth conduct of the examination, the statement said.
“The administration shall ensure proper frisking of candidates before allowing entry into examination centres. CCTV cameras shall be installed in each room with live streaming. The HSSC shall ensure proper scanning of QR Code/, facial biometric attendance, videography and mobile jammers should be installed,” the statement said.
The chief secretary directed the district administrations to depute flying squads for safe carrying of exam material and to maintain the law and order.
Superintendents of Police of the districts were advised to ensure adequate police force consisting of male and female personnel is deployed at each centre, as per the direction given by Arora.
It was further directed that in view of the COVID-19 situation, all the exam centres will be thoroughly sanitised before the exam including classrooms, corridors and washrooms.
To ensure social distancing, the number of candidates per room shall be reduced to half.
Candidates will not be allowed entry if they do not have a face mask. The HSSC shall ensure thermal screening at entrance and proper hand sanitisation at entry points and in classrooms, according to the statement.
“Any candidate with flu-like symptoms will be made to sit separately. A medical team/rapid response team will be deployed in all districts by district administration to deal with any case of medical emergency,” it said, while issuing other exam-related instructions.