Bajwa urges Governor to intervene in psychologist recruitment row

Punjab LoP Partap Singh Bajwa urged Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to intervene after the state government cancelled a completed recruitment for 343 psychologists, calling the move "arbitrary" and its replacement with outsourcing unconstitutional.

Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly and Congress MLA Partap Singh Bajwa wrote to Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, seeking urgent intervention in what he termed the "arbitrary and unconstitutional" cancellation of a concluded recruitment process for psychologists in the state.

Recruitment Process Arbitrarily Cancelled

In his letter dated Monday, January 5, Bajwa said Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) had completed the entire recruitment process for 343 psychologist posts under Advertisement No. BFU-25/10 dated April 24, 2025, including written examination, counselling, document verification and preparation of the final merit list, with only appointment letters pending.

He stated that, despite the completion of the merit-based process, the Punjab government abruptly cancelled the recruitment on December 18, 2025, citing vague "administrative reasons" and simultaneously issuing orders to engage psychologists through outsourcing.

Constitutional Concerns and Call for Action

Bajwa warned that outsourcing identical posts undermines reservation policies, violates Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution, and adversely affects the public interest, particularly mental health and de-addiction services in Punjab.

He also noted that the matter is sub judice before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The LoP urged the Governor to call for a detailed report from the Health Department and to direct the state government to immediately issue appointment letters to the 180 selected psychologists in accordance with the final merit list.

LoP Reiterates Stance on Social Media

Through his official X handle, on Monday, he posted, "I have written to the Hon'ble Governor of Punjab seeking urgent intervention against the arbitrary cancellation of a completed recruitment of Psychologists and its replacement through outsourcing. Merit cannot be junked, reservations cannot be bypassed, and public health cannot be compromised by vague "administrative reasons".Punjab needs accountable, trained professionals--not ad-hoc outsourcing."

Alongwith the letter to the Governor of Punjab in his X post, he emphasised that the state needs accountable, trained professionals and not ad-hoc outsourcing and that the public health cannot be compromised by vague "administrative reasons".

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)