The Government Teachers Union Punjab has formally written to the Chief Minister and the Education Minister, raising objections over alleged discrepancies in the Education Department's advertisement for the recruitment of 1,013 lecturers across various subjects. The union claims that the advertisement fails to allocate vacancies in accordance with the reservation policy for the Scheduled Castes (SC) category, thereby overlooking eligible SC candidates.
Allegations of Reservation Violations
According to the union, the list of lecturer posts published by the Education Department's Recruitment Board is incorrect. It does not reflect the proper roster-based reservation for SC candidates, which has been an established practice under previous governments. The teacher leaders argue that this omission makes the first recruitment advertisement incomplete and potentially illegal.
Government Teachers Union Punjab state president Sukhwinder Singh, along with secretary Gurbinder Singh Saskaur, finance secretary Manohar Lal Sharma, and press secretary Karnail Phillaur, among others, sent the letter on June 29. They expressed concern that the discrepancies could lead to legal challenges, further delaying the recruitment process and the timely filling of the advertised posts.
State SC Commission Takes Suo Motu Cognisance
The State Scheduled Castes Commission has taken suo motu notice of the issue and summoned the Secretary of the School Education Department, Punjab, to explain the alleged omission of reservation provisions for the SC category in the recruitment advertisement. This development underscores the seriousness of the matter.
GTU press secretary Karnail Singh Phillaur stated, "It is surprising that the government omitted reservation details, as per the roster, from the advertisement despite this being an established practice followed by previous governments. Although the application portal has been opened, the issue remains unresolved. The State SC Commission has also taken note of the matter and summoned the Education Secretary. We hope the discrepancies will be rectified and a revised advertisement issued soon."
Demand for Revised Advertisement
The union demands that the advertisement be amended to ensure due representation for all categories of lecturers in accordance with the prescribed reservation rules. Teacher leaders from various districts, including Rajesh Amloh (Fatehgarh Sahib), Dharminder Singh Bhangu (Ropar), Pritpal Chautala (Hoshiarpur), Jasvir Talwara, Sukhwinder Makkar (Jalandhar), Dildar Bhandal (Gurdaspur), Manjit Singh Brar (Muktsar Sahib), Sucha Singh Tarpai (Amritsar), and Harvinder Singh Sultanwind (Sangrur), have echoed the call for a corrected advertisement that includes all sections of teachers.
Potential Impact on Recruitment
The union warns that if the discrepancies are not rectified, the recruitment process may face legal hurdles, causing further delays. The timely filling of the 1,013 lecturer posts is crucial for the education system in Punjab, and the union urges the government to issue a revised advertisement promptly to avoid complications.
