NEW DELHI, Sep 5: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has issued a notice to the Punjab government over allegations that Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates were denied reservation benefits during the recruitment of lecturers.
The commission said it received a representation from BJP Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh, who raised concerns over the recruitment process for 1,013 lecturer posts advertised by the Punjab Education Department.
According to the complaint, SC candidates were allegedly deprived of reservation benefits in several subjects, including Punjabi, Commerce, Mathematics, Physics, Economics, Chemistry, Biology and Geography.
The representation also alleged that the prescribed reservation rules and roster system were not properly implemented while conducting the recruitment process.
Taking cognisance of the complaint, the NCSC said it has decided to conduct an inquiry into the matter.
NCSC Chairman Kishor Makwana described the allegations as a serious issue, stressing that the commission is committed to safeguarding the constitutional rights of Scheduled Castes and ensuring compliance with reservation provisions in government employment.
The commission has directed the Chief Secretary of Punjab to provide, within seven days of receiving the notice, details of the case, the action taken on the allegations and relevant records.
The documents sought include the recruitment notification and the reservation roster used for the lecturer appointments.
The NCSC further cautioned that failure to submit the required response within the stipulated period could lead to the commission exercising powers vested in it as a civil court.
In such an eventuality, the commission may summon officials for personal appearance as part of its inquiry into the allegations.
The development comes amid the NCSC’s efforts to monitor the implementation of constitutional safeguards and reservation provisions for Scheduled Castes in government recruitment.