HC has directed the Punjab Education Recruitment Board that it could continue with the recruitment process of 5,078 rural associate teachers but would not issue appointment letters to selected candidates till February 12.

Taking up a petition on Monday, the Punjab and Haryana high court has directed the Punjab Education Recruitment Board (PERB) that it could continue with the recruitment process of 5,078 rural associate teachers but would not issue
appointment letters to selected candidates till February 12. The directions came from the court headed by justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa while hearing a petition filed by Jagdeep Singh and other candidates. The court also issued notices of motion to the Punjab education department and the PERB for filing their replies before February 12. The petitioners had alleged that a large number of candidates who had produced degrees from Chandra Mohan Jha (CMJ) University, Shillong, were also participating in the recruitment process, whereas the Supreme Court, in its judgment of September 13, had made it clear that degrees awarded by CMJ University were not valid. The court was also informed that at least 423 candidates had produced degrees obtained from certain far-flung universities for courses for which those universities were not authorised to award degrees by the University Grants Commission. The petitioners had mentioned that because of such candidates, they were likely to suffer in the selection process.

Hindustan times