Punjabi test 'not cleared', 38 junior coaches face job risk

The appointment of 38 outstanding sportspersons as junior coaches by the Punjab Sports Department has acquired the contours of a controversy with the Punjab Languages Department objecting to their selection. The objection has been raised because the junior coaches have not cleared the mandatory Punjabi language examination.

3 coaches were appointed under the group ‘B’ category while 38 junior coaches were selected in the Group ‘C’ class in May this year. According to rules formulated by the state government in 2022, candidates applying for Groups ‘C’ and ‘D’ jobs have to clear the Punjabi language test. Incidentally, there are no appointees in Group ‘D’.

Rules state that if a candidate does not pass by taking at least 50 per cent marks, he is ineligible for selection, notwithstanding his sports achievements, however impressive they may be.

The Director of Punjab Languages Department, the agency that conducts the test, has written a letter on August 20 to the Special Secretary (Sports and Youth Services) terming the appointment of the 38 junior coaches as “illegal” as they have “violated Punjab Civil Services norms by not clearing the Punjabi language examination.” The Director has sought a clarification.

The fact that this examination is mandatory is clearly mentioned in the advertisement published for the posts that appeared in December last year.

The languages department has acted on a complaint filed by the Punjab Sahit Academy, Ludhiana.

Sources say the selected candidates have now been caught in a quandary. “The heat is also on officials who were involved in the recruitment process. If an inquiry is held, many heads will roll as officials will find it difficult to explain as to how these coaches were appointed in the first place,” said a senior officer.

Director (Sports) Harpreet Singh Sudan, said he was engaged in a meeting in Delhi. “I cannot make any comments without checking the record. I will respond once I am back.”