Lost jobs amid row in Delhi, 2 yoga consultants hired at Rs 1 lakh by Punjab

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, February 26

Having lost their jobs amid a controversy in Delhi, two yoga instructors have been hired as consultants by state-run Guru Ravidas Ayurved University in Hoshiarpur on hefty salaries.

Prior to getting selected in Punjab, Delhi-based Amresh Kumar Jha and Kamlesh Kumar Mishra were worked as yoga consultants in ‘Dilli Ki Yogshala’ with the Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University. They lost their job after the Board of Governors of the university allegedly refused permission to continue the ‘Dilli Ki Yogshala’ programme in November last year.

Sources in the government revealed that soon after losing the job, officials in Punjab were instructed to explore the possibility of hiring the yoga consultants. Initially, the Health Department was asked but following the delay by officials, their case was pitched to the Department of Medical Education and Research.

Early this month, the university invited applications for the posts of two consultant, 10 supervisors and 80 trainers on a contract basis for the project “CM Di Yogshala” in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Phagwara, Patiala and Jalandhar.

Both Jha and Mishra hail from Bihar but are settled in Delhi. They have been hired for Rs 1 lakh per month each. However, their hiring is completely against the tall claims regarding ‘compulsory Punjabi’ being made by the state government. Since the ‘CM Di Yogshala’ programme aims to promote yoga in Punjab, so the entire communication will take place in Punjabi language. But both consultants have neither basic knowledge of Punjabi, nor have they studied the same in their matriculation.

Interestingly, the appointments come in the scenario when the government laying emphasis on qualifying Punjabi with 50 per cent marks in Class X. On October 21, the Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had given approval to amend Rule 17 of the Punjab Civil Services (General and Common Conditions of services) Rules, 1994, and the Punjab State (Group-D) Service Rules, 1963, under which a candidate appointed to any post in Group-C services should have passed the qualifying test of the Punjabi language equivalent to matriculation standard with at least 50 per cent marks.

Additional Secretary, Department of Medical Education and Research, and Vice-Chancellor of Guru Ravidas Ayurveda University, Rahul Gupta said the hiring was part of the CM’s Yogshala Programme, which was to be launched soon.

When asked had they passed their matriculation in Punjabi, which is mandatory to get any job in Punjab, he was a little evasive and said the criteria for their hiring were laid down by the Cabinet and the hiring had been done in a transparent and fair manner.

When asked that had Amresh Kumar Jha passed matriculation with Punjabi, he said he had applied whatever conditions were laid down in job advertisement. However, Kamlesh Kumar Mishra said they would try to learn Punjabi.

Amid strained relations between the government and the Governor, it will be interesting to see how the latter will react to these appointments, since he is the Chancellor of the university.

VC claims hiring transparent and fair

• The hiring is part of the CM’s Yogshala Programme, which is to be launched soon, said Rahul Gupta, Vice Chancellor of Guru Ravidas Ayurved University
• When asked had they passed their matriculation in Punjabi, which is mandatory to get any job in Punjab, he said the criteria for their hiring were laid down by the Cabinet and it was done in a transparent and fair manner