PU college lecturers’ recruitment remains a mirage

Dharwad: Will the government really conduct counselling and issue appointment orders to the candidates selected for the post of lecturers in government PU colleges in the state?
This question is being asked by 1,203 candidates, who have been selected for the post after clearing the recruitment test held by the Karnataka Examination Authority in 2018.
Though minister for primary and secondary education Suresh Kumar has on Thursday announced that the counselling for posting of newly selected lecturers will be held soon and appointment orders will be issued, many candidates are not ready to take his words for granted. Earlier also the dates have been announced only to be postponed, said a candidate.
The notification for filling up of 1203 posts of lecturers was issued in 2015 and the test was held three years later in 2018. It took another year for evaluation of answer sheets and announcement of the list of selected candidates. The verification marks card, caste certificate, income certificate and other documents was also completed and it was informed that the counselling will be held after March 23, this year that is after the completion of II PU examination. When the examination for the last paper (English) was postponed indefinitely due to lockdown Minister Suresh Kumar had assured that the counselling will be held after June 18. Following pressure from MLCs, July 8 was fixed for counselling. The PUE department even announced the date on July 6 on its website only to withdraw it quickly.
Meanwhile, the government announced a ban on all appointments and said there will be no appointments in 2020-2021. This came as a shock to the candidates who were on the verge of crossing the age limit for appointment. Hoping to get the appointment order many had left their private jobs.
Now the minister has now said that the finance department has given green signal for counselling and appointment.
“There is another hitch. Several senior lecturers who are seeking transfer to different places where the posts are vacant, want the process of transfer to be completed before holding the counselling for fresh candidates. This may further delay the counselling” said a candidate.