Transparent recruitment system has been institutionalised under BJP rule: Haryana CM

Chandigarh, Feb 25 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday said that under the BJP government, jobs have been given on merit as opposed to the recruitments done during the previous Congress regime.

Replying to an adjournment motion brought by Congress in the State Assembly, Saini said that since 2014, a completely transparent recruitment system has been institutionalised, and this transformation has rekindled hope among the youth who had grown disillusioned.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) Bhupinder Singh Hooda had moved the adjournment motion pertaining to what the Congress alleged "systemic failure of the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) and Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) in conducting fair, timely and transparent recruitment over the last eleven years." During a lengthy discussion on the adjournment motion, the House on Wednesday evening witnessed exchanges between the opposition Congress members and the treasury benches.

Reading out the motion, Hooda alleged systemic collapse of the recruitment process under HSSC and HPSC over the past eleven years.

Hooda said the state's recruitment machinery stands thoroughly discredited and claimed that 8,653 advertised posts have been withdrawn, examinations of gram sachiv, patwari, PGT teachers, constables and assistant professors have been repeatedly cancelled due to paper leaks, procedural irregularities and outright criminal malpractice with 29 FIRs standing registered in HSSC-linked cases alone.

Congress's Geeta Bhukkal said that HPSC is working like a "rejection board" for Haryana youth rather than a "selection body." Countering Congress's charge, Chief Minister Saini said that the advertisement was withdrawn because the Common Eligibility Test (CET) was to be conducted, allowing new candidates the opportunity to participate. Subsequently, the Commission reissued the advertisement with an increased number of posts, he said.

He informed the House that the Gram Sachiv examination was cancelled due to suspicion of a paper leak, and it was re-advertised on June 28, 2024, with examination being successfully conducted on August 17 of that year. The result was declared on October 17, 2024, the CM added.

Saini also said that under Congress rule, from April 1, 2005, to October 2014, up to 3,593 recruitments were made, as against 11,017 recruitments under the BJP regime from November 2014 onwards.

He also accused the opposition of spreading confusion by creating an impression that "outside candidates" are being selected in Haryana's job recruitments, and clarified that between April 1, 2024 and February 12, 2026, out of recommendations for 4,437 posts, about 22 per cent of candidates were from other states.

He underlined that the HPSC recruitment posts carry all-India eligibility, and the principle of equal opportunity under Article 16 of the Constitution applies to these posts.

The CM also highlighted that the courts cancelled 7,338 recruitment posts made during the Congress regime, citing serious irregularities in the selection process.

Saini said that from April 1, 2015 till date, through approximately 300 advertisements, results for 15,483 posts have been declared by HPSC. In only about 45 advertisements has the number of selected candidates been less than the advertised posts, he said.

The CM also countered Congress's criticism regarding unfilled Scheduled Castes (SC) and Backward Classes (BC) vacancies, presenting detailed data showing a significant reduction in backlog posts under his government. PTI SUN AMJ AMJ