70% posts of judicial service in Punjab, Hry remain vacant

ONLY 55 OF OVER 20,000 CANDIDATES COULD QUALIFY IN JUDICIAL EXAMS CONDUCTED FOR 182 POSTS IN 2 STATES

PATIALA : Nearly 70% of the total advertised posts for judicial magistrate in Punjab and Haryana have remained vacant as only 55 of over 20,000 candidates could qualify in civil service (judicial)-2019 examination conducted for 182 posts in the two states by the Punjab and Haryana high court.

In Punjab, only 28 out of around 5,200 candidates were selected against a total of 75 posts after the final interview in the Punjab Civil Services (judicial).

The situation is worse in Haryana, where only 27 out of around 15,000 candidates qualified for the Haryana Civil Services (judicial) as against 107 posts.

Candidates in the general category were required to score at least 50% marks to qualify, while those in the reserved had to score 45%. In Punjab, only 56 candidates qualified for the interview and of them, only 28, including 22 women, were selected. In Haryana, 69 qualified reached the interview stage and only 27 of them, including 18 women, were found eligible. The number of selected candidates joining the service may further decrease as some of them might have already been selected in other exams conducted in Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and UP.

Notably, Shivani Garg (25), who bagged the second spot in the Haryana Civil Services (judicial), has topped the Punjab Civil Service (judicial) examination.

“It’s a matter of serious concern that only 55 of more than 20,000 candidates could qualify. The HC could not find suitable candidates for about 70% posts. Judiciary needs talented officers in lower courts for speedy delivery of justice, but we are unable to find such candidates,” said a judicial officer, seeking anonymity.