Punjab to select govt officials to PCS purely on merit

Sources said at present the practice was that the officials of different departments—excise,revenue and food supplies,among others—were nominated to the state services.

Earlier,the chief minister could nominate five government officials to PCS,speaker could nominate 1,ministers and chief parliamentary secretaries 1 each,chief secretary-5,secretaries of departments and heads of departments 1 each.

“Now for A1 list (that is officers from the revenue department,district revenue officers,tehsildars and naib tehsildars),A2 list (ministerial and secretariat staff) and A3 list (excise and taxation officers and block development officers) are nominated depending on who pulls the strings,’’ said an official.

He said from now on the officials will have to apply to the state government and annual confidential reports will be considered for A1 and A3 list.

The officials in A2 and C list—ministerial and secretariat staff and employees of other departments—will apply to PPSC and then will have to pass a test and interview to make it to PCS,said sources.

Sources said the government decision comes after the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the state to formulate a policy for nominating officials to PCS after there were complaints of favouritism.