THE PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT has stayed the recruitment of 41 Block Programme Managers and 44 Cluster Coordinators under the Punjab State Rural Livelihoods Mission (PSRLM), citing “anomalies and ambiguities” in the examination and evaluation process for these posts. 

BJP’s Punjab president Kewal Singh Dhillon attacked the Aam Aadmi Party government in the state following the stay order. He said the court’s intervention has exposed  “corruption and irregularities” in the Punjab government’s recruitment system. Dhillon further linked the development with another High Court’s stay order on the appointment process for 454 Pharmacy Officers, where allegations of irregularities in the examination process were raised. The opposition alleges that the pharmacy examination paper was leaked, while the AAP government claims that the incident only pertains to a few students involved in a high-tech cheating racket.

High Court Flags ‘Anomalies and Ambiguities’ in PSRLM Recruitment

The controversy over the PSRLM recruitment dates back to January 28, 2026, when the Punjab government initiated the enrollment process for various management, administrative, and technical posts. The examination for the same was conducted on February 22, 2026, followed by the declaration of results on February 24. Among these posts there were the 41 Block Programme Managers and 44 Cluster Coordinators, whose hiring have come into focus after recent development.

Candidates subsequently approached the High Court alleging that the recruitment process was not sufficiently transparent. One of the major concerns was that the authorities did not publish a consolidated merit chart showing individual marks obtained by candidates in the written examination, interview, qualification, and experience.

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The issue eventually reached the high court, which on July 21 summoned the complete record of marks awarded to the candidates. It also ordered a committee to be constituted to examine the application forms and recruitment records. After its examination, the committee submitted its report in a sealed cover to the court. After consideration, the court prima facie noted “anomalies and ambiguities” in the manner in which marks had been awarded under different heads. The High Court consequently stayed further proceedings in the selection process as the matter is now listed for next hearing on September 2.

BJP’s Punjab president Kewal Singh Dhillon has turned the court order into a larger political question. He pointed out that out of the 100 marks prescribed in the selection process, 30 marks are reserved for interview, qualification, and experience. The BJP President echoed the sentiment of petitioners, claiming that the failure to make individual marks public created doubts about whether the selection criteria had been applied uniformly.

He also questioned the decision to outsource an important recruitment examination to a private company, alleging that questions had been raised about the agency’s recognition and competence. “Instead of ensuring a transparent and fair recruitment system for the youth, the Bhagwant Mann government continues to evade responsibility whenever its recruitment processes come under a cloud,” Dhillon said to the media. He demanded answers from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, asking why controversies were repeatedly emerging around government recruitments, citing recent discrepancies in Pharmacy exams as well.

Pharmacy Officer Recruitment Also Under HC Stay

The PSRLM controversy comes days after the High Court stayed the appointment process for 454 Pharmacy Officer posts following allegations of cheating during the July 19, 2026, examination conducted by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences.

Punjab Police had earlier claimed to have busted an interstate cheating racket involving high-tech electronic devices. Seven alleged key conspirators and 28 candidates were arrested after action across examination centres in Faridkot, Kotkapura, and Ferozepur.

Amid the NEET paper leak controversy, opposition leaders from BJP and Congress had raised questions over the issue, alleging that the Pharmacy paper was leaked in the state. However, the Punjab government had maintained that the incident was a case of high-tech cheating rather than a paper leak. 

The High Court’s order on August 10, 2026, stayed the appointment process for the 454 posts till the next hearing on September 17. Both these cases in close proximity have given the opposition fresh ammunition against the Mann government’s recruitment policies. More details on the alleged irregularities in the process are awaited on further hearings.

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