Chandigarh, Aug 8 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann handed over appointment letters for government jobs to 866 youths on Saturday and said the trend of youngsters in the state moving abroad has declined, reflecting their confidence in the system.
Speaking at the event in Mohali, he said a transparent recruitment process has now replaced the earlier system, which encouraged bribes and recommendations to secure government jobs.
He pointed out that Punjab has surpassed Kerala to rank first in the country’s school education, and 882 government school students clearing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) this year stands as a testament to this.
Later, in an X post, Mann said, “Today, appointment letters were handed over to 866 youths in Mohali. Our government has so far provided 69,094 government jobs with complete transparency. The youths’ confidence in the system has grown, and the trend of them moving abroad has declined.” Speaking at the event, Mann said the 866 appointments include 636 candidates posted in the Health and Family Welfare Department, of which 614 were staff nurses.
“Hard work and dedication have been the sole criteria for selection. Gone are the days when jobs were given on the basis of bribery or recommendations. Today, the state government gives jobs only to eligible candidates. All appointments are made purely on the basis of merit, transparency and fairness, without any recommendation or political influence.” Criticising the previous governments, the chief minister said they ignored the interests of people.
“They were only concerned about their own welfare, so how could they think about the common people? They indulged in rampant corruption and favouritism and doled out jobs only to their near and dear ones,” Mann said.
Transparent recruitment has resulted in a decline in migration, he said.
“The immensely talented youth of Punjab were forced to move abroad, thereby jeopardising the state’s socio-economic development. However, we reversed this trend after assuming power in 2022. The state government has succeeded in creating employment opportunities for youth in every village, town and city of Punjab,” he added.
Highlighting the government’s efforts, he said, “The current government paid special attention to improving government schools. Teachers were sent abroad to Singapore and Finland, besides IIM Ahmedabad, for advanced training so that they could acquaint themselves with the latest methods of teaching and improve the students’ learning outcomes.” On infrastructure upgrades, he said, “Structural upgrades have also been carried out in government schools in terms of new furniture, IT-enabled teaching modules, well-equipped libraries and sanitation facilities. Campus managers have also been appointed in government schools to take care of their development-related needs.” He said the efforts have borne fruit. “As many as 882 government school students cleared the 2026 NEET exam, whereas in 2021, only 80 students were able to do so.” Speaking about Punjab’s performance in school education, the chief minister said, “The strenuous efforts of the state government have led to Punjab beating Kerala to occupy the top spot in terms of education and infrastructural upgrades of government schools. The state government has prioritised education and taken path-breaking initiatives in the sector to transform the lives of people.” Congratulating the newly appointed youths, Mann said, “The children of ordinary families are proving that with dedication, perseverance and proper guidance, no goal is beyond reach. The future of Punjab is bright as the achievements of these youths are a reflection of the talent, determination and aspirations of our people.” PTI SUN RUK RUK
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