CHANDIGARH:
Punjab Civil Services (PSC) officer of 2014 batch,
Amrinder Singh Tiwana has resigned after failing to clear the mandatory departmental examination after six attempts.
The 43-year-old executive branch officer was posted as sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) at Bhawanigarh in Sangrur district. Without mentioning any specific reason for the step in the resignation letter, Tiwana has said that he taken the decision "with his cool mind". He had also served as SDM of Fatehgarh Sahib earlier, and was to superannuate in 2032.
Efforts to contact Tiwana proved futile as his mobile was switched off. He got the appointment as a
PCS officer in September 2014 and holds a BA degree.
Before joining the PCS, Tiwana served as short service commission officer in the Army. He was among the five PCS officers who had failed to clear the departmental examination for the sixth time earlier this month. This included the mercy chances granted by chief minister Amarinder Singh.
Out of eight, Tiwana failed to clear two papers of revenue law, and service and financial law. PCS officers are allowed to carry reference books into the examination centre.
Other four PCS officers who had failed to clear department examination are: Latif Ahmed, Pritpal Singh, Ram Singh and Subhash Chander Khatak. Tiwana and Ahmed are direct recruit PCS officers. Whereas other three officers were appointed to PCS on the basis of merit-cum-seniority from various state government departments.
Former chief secretary Sarvesh Kaushal had even recommended dismissal of Tiwana and Ahmed, reversion of other three officers to their parent department. But after the incumbent Congress government came to power in March last year, the chief minister had given them a mercy chance to clear the exam. After they failed to clear the exam in October last year, their case was put up before the chief minister for dismissal and reversion on which the final decision is yet to be taken.
Another PCS officer Dr Karamjit Singh has failed in four papers of civil law, revenue law, local government laws, service and financial laws. He has now approached the government to revert him back to his parent cadre as he was earlier member of Punjab civil medical service member (government doctor).
As per the civil services (departmental examination) Punjab Rules, 2014, "all the members of service, shall qualify the examination within a period of one and a half year from the date of their appointment to the service. The members of the service shall be given only four chances." The departmental examination is held in February, June and October every year.
The rules mandate PCS officers to obtain 66.66% marks in the criminal law and revenue law papers, and 55% marks in civil law, developmental laws, industrial and commercial laws, local government laws and public service laws. A PCS officer cannot be vested with the powers of an executive magistrate till he clears the criminal law paper. Also, the officer who fails to clear the revenue law paper cannot be vested with the powers of assistant collector grade-I or collector.
