New Delhi/Chandigarh (National Times): In a significant setback to Punjab’s higher education sector, the Supreme Court of India has quashed the appointments of 1,158 college faculty members, including 1,091 assistant professors and 67 librarians, across government colleges in the state.
The apex court’s decision comes in response to writ petitions filed by aggrieved candidates, who raised serious concerns about irregularities and procedural lapses in the recruitment process. The petitioners alleged that merit-based norms were violated, and the recruitment was carried out without involving the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC), which is the constitutionally mandated body for such appointments.
The Supreme Court strongly questioned the Punjab government’s selection mechanism, calling into question the legality of bypassing the PPSC in the recruitment drive. The court observed that the entire recruitment process lacked transparency, and criticized the formation of selection panels without proper regulatory oversight.
The recruitment process was initially launched in October 2021, when the Directorate of Higher Education, Punjab, invited online applications for the posts of assistant professors in various subjects and librarians in government colleges. The timing of the recruitment, just ahead of the Punjab Assembly Elections, had already sparked debate and raised eyebrows over possible political motives.
In September 2024, the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s division bench had allowed the appointments to proceed, overturning an earlier 2022 single bench ruling that had rejected the recruitment. However, the Supreme Court’s verdict has now reversed that decision, effectively nullifying the appointments and leaving hundreds of appointees in professional limbo.
This ruling not only disrupts the careers of over 1,100 faculty members who had already joined government colleges but also leaves a vacuum in Punjab’s higher education system, which is already grappling with faculty shortages.
The Punjab government is yet to issue an official response to the Supreme Court’s ruling. However, sources indicate that the state may explore legal or administrative remedies in light of the judgment.
Education stakeholders, students, and academic bodies have expressed concern over the development, calling it a major setback for public higher education in Punjab, and urging the government to ensure a fair, transparent, and merit-driven recruitment process going forward.
