Supreme Court Quashes Appointments of 1,091 Assistant Professors in Punjab

For the hundreds of assistant professors, many with PhDs, NET qualifications, and years of teaching experience, the verdict has been emotionally shattering.

In a major setback to higher education aspirants in Punjab, the Supreme Court has invalidated the 2021 recruitment of 1,091 assistant professors and 67 librarians in government colleges, citing violations of University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations and constitutional norms.

The bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan held that the Punjab government’s selection process was "grossly arbitrary" and had bypassed the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC), which is the constitutionally mandated body for such appointments.

For the hundreds of assistant professors, many with PhDs, NET qualifications, and years of teaching experience, the verdict has been emotionally shattering.

“I left my private college job to join this position, thinking it would give me security and dignity,” said a 37-year-old assistant professor from Ludhiana. “Now I’m overage for future recruitments, and my career is back to square one.”

What did the Supreme Court say?

The apex court observed that while States may frame rules under their own legislation, once they adopt UGC regulations, those become binding. The Punjab government, despite adopting the 2018 UGC regulations, ignored the prescribed three-stage selection process—academic score, interview, and NET qualification—and replaced it with a multiple-choice test.

The Court noted that such deviations could not be allowed, especially when they appeared to have been made for "narrow political gains" ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections.

The Court has directed the Punjab government to initiate a fresh selection process within six months in line with UGC norms.

The affected educators, meanwhile, are exploring legal remedies, including review and curative petitions.

The Punjab government has not yet responded officially.

The verdict reinforces the primacy of the UGC under Entry 66 of the Union List, which gives the Centre control over standards in higher education.

“The judgment is a warning that educational appointments cannot be reduced to political favours. Uniform national standards matter,” said a former UGC official on condition of anonymity.

The Punjab government had conducted the recruitment in October 2021 through a written exam overseen by a Higher Education committee, bypassing the PPSC. Thousands of candidates appeared, and over 1,100 were appointed. However, the appointments were challenged in court by unsuccessful candidates citing procedural irregularities and violation of UGC norms.