Punjab government cancels psychologist recruitment after written test, document verification rounds

Copies of the letter were sent to the Personal Assistant to the Punjab Health Minister and the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab. The Registrar of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) has also been directed to inform the public about this decision through a public notice, as the advertisement for these posts was earlier published by the institute.

The department further stated that all fees collected from candidates, including application and other recruitment-related charges, will be refunded.

Sources in the department revealed that the government now plans to recruit psychologists through outsourcing, terming it an easier process.

Under the outsourcing model, employees are hired through private agencies and are not considered direct employees of the Punjab government, despite working in government institutions. In contrast, contractual employees – though not on regular rolls – are directly recruited by the government.

“Contractual employees get much lower salaries than regular staff and no job security, no pension benefits, but they are still government employees. Many have even approached courts seeking regularisation,” said a leader of a contractual employees’ union, requesting anonymity.

“Outsourced employees, on the other hand, work on a hire-and-fire policy. Their salaries are meagre, benefits are minimal, and leave entitlements are limited. They have no job security,” the union leader added.

In the past, the Punjab government had resorted to outsourcing mainly for Class IV posts, but in recent years, skilled positions such as nurses, linemen in the power corporation and many other posts have also been filled through outsourcing, sources said.