Chandigarh, Februay 2: In a recent development, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has levied a fine of Rs 50,000 on the Punjab Government regarding the recruitment process for 168 posts of Physical Education Master in schools.
The alteration of recruitment conditions after the completion of the appointment process, following the filling of all 168 positions, has been declared null and void by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The court has issued orders to appoint applicants who were originally selected based on the previous conditions.
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Initially, candidates were required to have post-graduation along with passing the PSTET (Punjab State Teacher Eligibility Test) to be eligible for these positions. However, after the announcement of the written examination results, the Punjab Government attempted to remove the mandatory condition of passing the PSTET, seemingly to favour specific individuals.
The High Court, deeming this action entirely incorrect and illegal, not only nullified the order to remove the PSTET condition, but also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the Punjab Government. The court emphasised that the PSTET test is a mandatory requirement for Physical Education subjects, and the recruitment rules and conditions cannot be altered once the recruitment process has commenced.
