CHANDIGARH: Amid the controversy over the results of the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) Main Examination, former Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party president Sunil Jakhar said his party would order a thorough inquiry into the alleged PPSC recruitment scam after forming the government in the state following the 2027 Assembly elections.
Talking to the media, Jakhar asked Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal to "come clean" so that candidates upset over the alleged irregularities could get clarity.
He alleged that it appeared a lot of money had changed hands in the selection process. He added that before the elections, Kejriwal used to say he was an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer and knew where to get money. Jakhar accused Kejriwal of now using the PPSC to auction off government jobs and, along with them, the future of Punjab’s youth.
He demanded that the government immediately order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe and suspend the remaining stages of recruitment, including interviews, until the questions raised were satisfactorily answered.
Jakhar also claimed that the family of a former deputy inspector general (DIG) had benefited from recruitment under the sports quota. He did not provide any documents in support of the claim at the press conference.
Several candidates who attended the press conference also alleged technical flaws in the selection process.
They claimed that of the 751 candidates who cleared the Mains, 86 appeared in clusters of consecutive roll numbers, with some rows having six, four or three successive numbers. They said the number of vacancies and Mains candidates was much higher this year, which should have resulted in a wider scattering of selected roll numbers rather than clustering.
Jakhar said the candidates' main demand was for the commission to publish the names and categories of those who had qualified, along with their roll numbers and other relevant selection details, so that the process could be scrutinised. He called for an impartial inquiry into the reported clusters of roll numbers in the results and the qualification of several candidates seated in the same row.
Jakhar questioned why the government had yet to publish the names of successful candidates if everything was in order. He said releasing the list with names would clarify whether it included the son and daughter-in-law of an officer currently in jail, as well as the children of other influential people. He cited claims that the couple had received grace marks that enabled them to clear the preliminary examination under the sports quota. He also said he had learnt that the officer held an influential post in the relevant authority when their sports certificates were issued.
Jakhar said the deadline for meeting the Class 10 Punjabi-language requirement had been extended repeatedly after the recruitment examination process began. According to him, the extensions were granted after the previous PPSC chairperson had retired and before the new chairperson took office. He also called for an inquiry into a tehsildar's claims about his son's selection, saying such matters raised questions about the credibility of the PPSC and the government.
Questioning the silence of Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, Jakhar asked why those who had organised a series of protests over the NEET examination controversy were now silent while, in his words, Punjab's youth were being robbed of their rights. He said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann would be responsible for the matter.
Candidates Abhishek and Rankeerat Singh also raised concerns about the conduct and evaluation of the examination. They asked why the roll numbers of 86 of the 751 successful candidates appeared in consecutive clusters at several points on the list. They sought details about the required qualifications of evaluators, how answer scripts were assessed subject-wise, the marking scheme, and the procedures for moderation and standardisation. They also questioned whether the evaluation process was consistent, impartial and auditable.
The candidates questioned the absence of names and a category-wise selection list in the published results, the number of candidates selected in each category relative to the vacancies allocated, repeated changes to the Punjabi-language eligibility rules, and vacancies that remained unfilled in reserved categories, including the ex-servicemen category. They also called for an inquiry into allegations that coaching institutes received information before the results were announced and that examination centres did not follow a uniform procedure for opening sealed bundles of question papers. They further sought scrutiny of how the process was video-recorded.
Citing claims of preferential treatment, alleged recommendations and transactions, Jakhar demanded a clear response from the government. He said evidence was needed before any successful candidate could be deemed ineligible and that the concerns raised had to be addressed. He assured the candidates that he would raise the matter with the Union Home Minister and support them in their legal fight. Jakhar said the issue concerned the future of Punjab's youth and public trust in the government recruitment system. He added that if the Mann government failed to deliver justice, a BJP government would conduct a thorough investigation after taking office.
BJP Punjab president Kewal Singh Dhillon stated that the PCS Mains result declared on November 4 was an institutional conspiracy to adjust the children and relatives of top police officers, bureaucrats and AAP politicians.
“Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann promised jobs on merit, but his regime has auctioned Punjab’s administrative posts. Deserving candidates were systematically failed by unverified research scholars, while VIP kin were gifted selections. Heartbroken by this blatant corruption, an aspirant from Ludhiana, committed suicide, and the state police coerced his family into a hasty cremation to bury unrest. The Mann government is directly responsible for this tragedy,” he alleged.
