Hiring of 981 regular govt college lecturers in Punjab hits hurdle as file stuck with PPSC

PATIALA: Initiated after a hiatus of 19 years, the process of hiring 931 lecturers, or assistant professors, on a regular basis at 48 government colleges in the state has hit a stumbling block as the file related to the recruitment is lying with the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) for five months.

The file has not been cleared due to delay on part of the state government in appointing the commission chairman after Lt Gen Surinder Singh (retd) retired from the post in early July. According to the rule, only the chairman is authorised to give approvals for issuing advertisements on hiring by various government departments.

The department of higher education had submitted the file with the commission in April after completing all the formalities. Director of public instructions (DPI colleges) Paramjit

Singh said there is no delay on their part as the department is waiting for the nod from the commission. The recruitment of college lecturers on a regular basis in Punjab was done last in 2002 when the vigilance bureau busted a cash-for-job scam. The recruitments remained stalled for a long time as the matter was sub judice.

Guest faculty demands relaxation

The guest faculty and 251 parttime lecturers at government colleges are uncertain about their jobs as the process of appointment of regular assistant professors has kickstarted.

They have urged the government to give relaxations in the recruitment process so that their jobs could be regularised. Deepak Kaushal of the Guest Faculty Assistant Professors’ Association said with less than 70% regular lecturers in government colleges where the guest faculty forms the backbone.