Bathinda: Over a month after it quashed the recruitment of 1,158 assistant professors and librarians posted in Punjab govt colleges, the Supreme Court on Monday allowed them to continue teaching until new hiring is done.

The court allowed the continuation while taking up two applications filed by the assistant professors and the state govt earlier this month for modification in the apex court’s July 14 judgment.

Punjab higher education minister Harjot Singh Bains called the decision a big relief for higher education in Punjab. “The Supreme Court has allowed the Punjab govt’s request to let 1,158 assistant professors and librarians continue in govt colleges until new recruitment. This ensures continuity of education for our students in govt colleges. The Punjab govt is also in the process of filing a review petition to save the jobs and will put strongest case forward,” he said.

A bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice K Vinod Chandran, on July 14 quashed the entire recruitment by setting aside the order passed by a division bench of the Punjab and Haryana high court on Sept 23, 2024. The court directed the state to initiate the recruitment process according to the 2018 UGC regulations.

The Punjab govt in Oct 2021 appointed 1,091 assistant professors and 67 librarians for govt colleges in the state. A score of petitions were filed against these appointments on technical issues.

On Aug 8, 2022, a single bench of the high court quashed the recruitment, prompting appeals by the assistant professors and the state govt. After more than a month on Sept 23, 2024, a double bench of the Punjab and Haryana high court, comprising Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Sudeepti Sharma, reversed the single bench order and upheld the recruitment A total of 914 assistant professors and librarians joined service.

A special leave petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Sept 30, 2024, against the high court order. The SC had then allowed the appeals and quashed the recruitment.

Save jobs, ensure quality edu: Pargat to Mann

Congress MLA Pargat Singh has written to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, urging him to save the recruitment of the 1,158 assistant professors and librarians. He emphasised that it is not only about saving the employment of aggrieved assistant professors but also the duty of the state to ensure quality education for youths, especially those who cannot afford costly education in private learning institutes.

The recruitment was made in 2021 when Pargat Singh was the higher education minister in the Charanjit Singh Channi govt. He stated that the recruitment was completely transparent, but the Supreme Court has taken some technical issues, and the state govt must strongly contest it in the apex court by filing a review petition.