‘Halt lecturers recruitment’: Punjab SC panel asks Education Dept

Chandigarh, July 27 (IANS) The Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission has written to the School Education Department Secretary, advising that the recruitment process for lecturers be halted due to lack of clarity regarding the roster register maintained for implementation of the reservation policy.

Sharing details, Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission Chairman Jasvir Singh Garhi said that in response to the information sought by the commission, the Education Department submitted records vide letter dated July 14. Several deficiencies were found in the records.

He said the selection lists for direct recruitment in the cadre from 1990 to 2025, showing merit marks, have not been made available. It has been stated that since the records are old, it will take approximately two months to compile them. 

“This raises the question of what basis the Roster Registers have been prepared,” an official statement said.

Further, verified copies of the original roster registers for the subjects for which the recruitment advertisement has been issued have not been provided. Instead, computerised copies of roster registers showing names of currently working employees have been submitted, which is not as per rules.

Copies of no-objection certificate (NOC) or approval issued by the Welfare Department regarding de-reservation or carry-forward of reserved points for Scheduled Castes and Backwards Classes have also not been provided.

Garhi said that examination of the incomplete records made available clearly indicates that the School Education Department has committed large-scale violations of the state government’s reservation policy and instructions issued from time to time regarding preparation and maintenance of roster registers.

This results in violations of the constitutional rights of various reserved categories. Such violation of the reservation policy is also covered under the definition of ‘Atrocity’ under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Garhi further stated that the commission has desired that until the original roster registers of the cadres concerned, copies of selection lists showing merit marks, and copies of NOC and approval regarding carry-forward or de-reservation of reserved points are provided, the next stages of the recruitment process for all lecturer cadres concerned should be put on hold in view of the constitutional rights of Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes, Women and other reserved categories.

An action taken report has also been sought by August 3.

--IANS 

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