Punjab Government Notify the Recruitment Policy 2022
No. SOR-IV (S&GAD)10-142/2021
GOVERNMENT OF THE PUNJAB
SERVICES & GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
DEPARTMENT (REGULATIONS WING)
Dated Lahore, the 9th March, 2022
To
1. All Provincial Ministers, Punjab.
2. The Senior Member, Board of Revenue, Punjab.
3. The Chairman, Planning & Development Board, Lahore.
4. The Principal Secretary to Governor, Punjab.
5. The Secretary to Chief Minister, Punjab.
6. All the Administrative Secretaries in the Punjab.
7. All Divisional Commissioners, Punjab.
8. All Deputy Commissioners, Punjab.
9. The Provincial Police Officer, Punjab.
10. The Secretary, Provincial Assembly, Punjab.
11. All Heads of Attached Departments in the Punjab.
12. All Heads of Autonomous Bodies in the Punjab.
13. The Secretary, Punjab Public Service Commission, Lahore.
14. The Secretary, Ombudsman Punjab, Lahore.
15. The Secretary, Ombudsperson Punjab, Lahore.
16. The Registrar, Punjab Service Tribunal, Lahore.
17. The Chairman, Chief Minister’s Inspection Team, Lahore.
18. The Accountant General, Punjab, Lahore.
SUBJECT: RECRUITMENT POLICY — 2022
Recruitment is the process by means of which eligible candidates are identified, attracted and selected against vacant positions. Through this process the best candidates are chosen from the pool of qualified applicants. It is extremely important to select the right person for the right job because a bad choice can affect the outcome of overall official business. Hence, recruitment is deemed as a key strategic activity in the public sector. The pressing need for departments is to develop capacities for merit-based recruitment. The right process reflects on the department’s capability in engaging the right talent, thus assisting in meeting the long-term objective of good governance. It is for this reason that this policy intervention is being made for guidance of departments. The departments, on their part, are legitimately expected and legally required to make selection for any public office on the basis of ability and merit, rather than on the basis of class, caste, creed, colour, patronage, patrimony, ideology, or wealth. They will meet the pre-requisites for merit by ensuring competitive process, protection from extraneous influence, equal opportunity to compete for appointment, fairness and equity in the treatment of candidates. This Policy is being issued to achieve merit and enhance the credibility of the recruitment process. With requisite organizational support and administrative resources at their back, the Appointing Authorities are expected to demonstrate authority, capability and commitment to implementing this Recruitment Policy.
2. CONSTITUTIONAL / LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR RECRUITMENT
i) Article 18 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan confers on every citizen the right to enter upon any lawful profession or occupation, subject to such qualifications as may be prescribed by law.
ii) Article 27 of the Constitution provides that no citizen, otherwise qualified for appointment in the federal or provincial service, shall be discriminated against in respect of any such appointment on the ground of race, religion, caste, sex, residence or place of birth. However, in the interest of the said service, specified posts or services may be reserved for members of either sex if such posts or services entail the performance of duties and functions which cannot be adequately performed by members of the other sex. Moreover, the Provincial Government, or any local or other authority in the Province, may prescribe, in relation to any post or class of service under that Government or authority, conditions as to residence in the Province.
iii) Section 4 of the Punjab Civil Servants Act 1974 provides that
appointments to a civil service of the province or to a civil post in connection with the affairs of the province shall be made in the prescribed manner. Such manner is prescribed in the relevant service rules in terms of Rule 3 (1) of the Punjab Civil Servants (Appointment and Conditions of Service) Rules 1974, according to which appointments shall be made either by promotion or by transfer or by initial recruitment.
iv) Under Section 13 (1) of the Punjab Civil Servants Act, 1974, retired government servants are not eligible for appointment either on regular or on contract basis, except under the provisions of Re-employment Policy 2003.
v) As per Rule 20 of the Punjab Civil Servants (Appointment and
Conditions of Service) Rules 1974, vacancies shall be filled in
accordance with merit on all Punjab basis from amongst the persons
domiciled in the Punjab.
vi) Rule 18 of the Punjab Civil Servants (Appointment and Conditions of Service) Rules 1974 makes it binding on a candidate for initial appointment to possess the prescribed educational qualifications and experience and also, except as provided in the rules framed for relaxation of age limit, must be within the prescribed age limit. Where recruitment is to be made after written examination, age shall be reckoned as on the first of January of the year in which the examination is proposed to be held; and in other cases, as on the last date fixed for submission of applications for appointment.
vii) Rule 16 of the Punjab Civil Servants (Appointment and Conditions of Service) Rules 1974 provides that initial recruitment on regular basis to the posts in BS-16 and above and such other posts in BS-11 to BS-15, as are notified by the Government, shall be filled on the recommendations of the Punjab Public Service Commission.
viii) Under Rule 17 of the Punjab Civil Servants (Appointment and Conditions of Service) Rules 1974, the posts which do not fall within the purview of Punjab Public Service Commission, are to be filled by the appropriate committees/board. Moreover, Rule 17 ibid requires that initial recruitment against all posts in BS-1 and above shall be made on merit after advertisement of vacancies in newspapers.
ix) Appointment to posts reserved for initial recruitment may be made either on regular or on contract basis depending upon the government policy in vogue.
3. ROLE OF SELECTION AUTHORITIES
It is not advisable to leave recruitment process to the sole discretion of appointing authorities. A group of persons after exercising collective wisdom may discharge the responsibility for making recommendations for recruitment in a professional and objective manner. Therefore, the Punjab Public Service Commission and Special Selection Boards or Recruitment Committees, as the case may be, are better placed to conduct the recruitment process on merit. The Punjab Public Service Commission is a specialised body for making selection on behalf of the government against the posts to be filled through competitive examination. It has adequate authority, capability, institutional commitment and organizational support to achieve merit. Therefore, the role of making both contract and regular recruitment may be assigned to the Commission which has the expertise to do the job in an objective and professional manner. Thus this policy also recommends strengthening the capacity and enhancing the role of the Commission to conduct recruitment process for maximum number of posts.
4. REGULAR OR CONTRACT MODES OF RECRUITMENT
I. Recruitment on regular basis is made under the provisions of the Punjab Civil
Servants Act 1974, Punjab Civil Servants (Appointment & Conditions of Service) Rules 1974 and relevant Service Rules of the posts in the following manner:
i) Initial recruitment on regular basis to all posts in BS-16 and above is made on the recommendations of the Punjab Public Service Commission.
ii) Initial recruitment to all posts in BS-11 to 15 of the following departments/attached departments shall be made on the recommendations of the Punjab Public Service Commission:
a. Services & General Administration
b. Revenue
c. Finance
d. Police
e. Energy
11. Initial recruitment to the following posts in the departments/attached departments mentioned against each shall also be made on the recommendations of the Punjab Public Service Commission:
a. Assistant Superintendent Jail. Prison
b. Assistant Food Controller
c. Food Grain Inspector Food
d. Food Grain Supervisor
e. Excise and Taxation Inspector. Excise & Taxation
f. Sub Engineer Irrigation
g. Ziladar
11. Sub Engineer. C&W
i. Sub Engineer. HUD& PHE
j. Inspector Cooperative Cooperative Societies
k. Sub-Inspector Cooperative Cooperative
Societies
1. Electric Sub-Inspector Energy
m. Transport Sub-Inspector
Transport
n. Motor Vehicle Examiner
10. Stenographer
III. Punjab Public Service Commission (Functions) Rules 1978 empower the Commission to conduct tests and examinations for recruitment to the provincial services and civil posts connected with the affairs of the Province falling in BS-16 and above except those specified in Schedule-I of the PPSC (Functions) Rules 1978. Besides, the departments are authorized to refer the cases to the PPSC for recruitment against posts to be filled on contract for a period not less than two years. Hence, the Departments should generally prefer the channel of PPSC even for contractual appointments. Even in cases where the posts do not fall in the purview of the PPSC, the departments may opt for PPSC after approval of the Chief Minister who has the authority to refer any posts to the Commission for recruitment under Rule 3 (1)(iii) of the Rules ibid. The Departments are advised to adhere to the following guidelines while making appointments on contract basis:
i. The Service Rules applicable to various posts shall be applicable also in case of appointment on contract basis. If, however, the Service Rules for a post have not been framed, the departments are
advised to get the rules framed in consultation with the Regulations Wing of S&GAD, before commencing the recruitment process.
ii. Where Service Rules for posts to be filled on contract basis are not available or where the department intends to adopt qualifications etc. different from those provided in the Service Rules, comprehensive criteria regarding proposed qualification, experience, age, appointing authority etc., may be got approved from the Contract Appointment Regulation Committee (CARC) under the Contract Appointment Policy 2004.
iii. Persons appointed on contract basis are not civil servants, hence their service matters shall be governed under the terms & conditions of their contract appointment, Contract Appointment Policy, and the policy instructions issued by the O&M/Regulations Wing, S&GAD from time to time.
5. MERIT-BASED RECRUITMENT
Pursuant to the judgment dated 19.01.1993 passed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in Human Rights Cases No. 104 (I to IV) of 1992, following instructions are laid down:
a) All posts shall be advertised properly in at least two leading newspapers, as per rules.
b) No recruitment shall be made without observing rules and prescribed procedure. Hence, no question arises for relaxation of qualification, experience, physical criteria etc. as provided in the relevant service rules, except as prescribed under the rules.
c) The relevant Selection Committees shall ensure that recruitments are made strictly on merit and in accordance with the rules, selection criteria and other provisions of this policy.
d) Ad-hoc appointments shall not be converted into regular appointments without advertising the posts.
6. SELECTION COMMITTEES FOR RECRUITMENT
The following Selection Committees shall make recommendations for the posts at the Provincial or District level, which are out of the purview of Punjab Public Service Commission:
a) DEPARTMENTAL SELECTION COMMITTEES AT PROVINCIAL LEVEL
i) Appointing Authority Chairman
(Where Chief Minister is the Appointing Authority, the Administrative Secretary concerned will be the Chairman of the Committee).
ii) Two officers of the Department to be Member
nominated by the Administrative Department
allcr approval of the Minister In-charge.
iii) One officer to be nominated by the Regulations Member Wing, S&GAD (only for BS-16 and above posts in Departments).
iv) A women officer to be nominated by the Member Administrative Department.
Note: However, in cases where departments find that the aforesaid committees are not relevant to their peculiar circumstances, they may get their own committees constituted after obtaining approval of the Chief Minister, routing the matter through Regulations Wing, S&GAD.
b) DEPARTMENTAL SELECTION COMMITTEES AT DIVISIONAL / DISTRICT LEVEL
i) Appointing Authority Chairman
ii) One member, nominated by the Administrative Member Department after approval of the Minister In-charge.
iii) A women officer nominated by the Member Commissioner Office
iv) Officer In-charge of Establishment concerned. Member
7. SHORT-LISTING PROCESS
After receipt of applications, a departmental scrutiny committee may be instituted by the Appointing Authority to arrive at a short-list of candidates, in the light of job requirements and eligibility criteria of the posts applied for. The short-listing process may involve additional fact-finding for which the scrutiny committees are encouraged to contact candidates for clarifications. Such committee in no case shall short-list a candidate who is not eligible under the relevant service rules or selection criteria. The additional information or assessment results obtained from candidates through such contacts must be documented. If the expected number of candidates is huge and scrutiny/short-listing of such a large number of applicants is not possible for departments, they may engage the services of testing services prequalified by the P&D Department for the purpose. However, the services of a testing service may not be hired in each case and such option may be availed only in cases of extreme need.
8. SELECTION CRITERIA FOR APPOINTMENT
The following criteria shall be observed for selection against posts in BS-1 to 4 and BS-5 & above:
A. CRITERIA FOR POSTS IN BS-I TO 4
Total Marks 100
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION
Maximum Marks 65
a. Where prescribed minimum qualification is literate
Literate |
45 |
Primary |
50 |
Middle |
60 |
Matric |
65 |
b. Where prescribed minimum qualification is Primary.
Primary |
50 |
Middle |
60 |
Matric |
65 |
c. Where prescribed minimum qualification is Middle.
Middle |
50 |
Matric |
60 |
Intermediate |
65 |
d. Where prescribed minimum qualification is Matric.
A Grade |
B Grade |
C Grade |
D Grade |
E Grade |
65 |
60 |
56 |
49 |
42 |
(ii) EXPERIENCE IN THE RELEVANT FIELD
Maximum Marks 10
(Over and above the experience prescribed in the service rules)
a) |
One year |
05 |
b) |
Two years |
07 |
c) |
Three years |
10 |
(iii) EX-SERVICE MAN/HAFIZ-E-QURAN Marks 05
(iv) INTERVIEW Max Marks 20
B. CRITERIA FOR POSTS IN BS-5 & ABOVE
Total Marks 100
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION Maximum Marks 65
a. Where prescribed minimum qualification is Matric equivalent
A+ Grade |
A Grade |
B Grade |
C Grade |
D Grade |
E Grade |
65 |
60 |
56 |
49 |
42 |
35 |
b. Where prescribed minimum qualification is Intermediate equivalent
A+ |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
||
Intermediate 67% |
43 |
40 |
35 |
33 |
28 |
23 |
|
2 |
Matric 33% |
21 |
19 |
17 |
15 |
13 |
12 |
-
Where prescribed minimum qualification is bachelor’s degree/equivalent
1st Div. |
2nd Div |
3rd Div |
||
1 |
Bachelor 50% |
32 |
30 |
21 |
2 |
Intermediate 33% |
21 |
18 |
14 |
3 |
Matric 17% |
41 |
10 |
07 |
-
Where prescribed minimum qualification is BS/equivalent (16 years)
1st Div. |
2′d Div |
3rd Div |
||
1 |
BS 75% |
48 |
45 |
32 |
2 |
Intermediate 17% |
11 |
09 |
07 |
3 |
Matric 8% |
05 |
04 |
03 |
-
Where prescribed minimum qualification is Master degree/ equivalent
1st Div |
2nd Div |
3rd Div. |
||
1 |
Masters 50% |
32 |
28 |
21 |
2 |
Bachelors 25% |
16 |
14 |
11 |
3 |
Intermediate 17% |
11 |
09 |
07 |
4 |
Matric 8% |
05 |
04 |
03 |
(ii) HIGHER QUALIFICATION IN THE RELEVANT FIELD
Maximum Marks l0
Next above the qualification prescribed under the rules:
1 |
One stage higher |
05 |
2 |
Two stages higher |
07 |
3 |
Three stages higher |
10 |
(iii) POSITION IN THE BOARD/UNIVERSITY IN THE PRESCRIBED QUALIFICATION
Maximum Marks 5
I |
1st position |
05 |
2 |
2nd position |
03 |
3 |
3rd position |
02 |
-
EXPERIENCE IN THE RELEVANT FIELD (Over and above the experience prescribed in the service rules)
Maximum Marks 05
-
EX–SERVICE MAN/IIAFIZ–E–QURAN
Marks 05
-
INTERVIEW
Maximum Marks 10
Note: Departments may change the selection criteria for specific specialized posts, if required, but the criteria must be clearly elaborated in order to ensure transparency in the selection process.
-
QUOTAS IN RECRUITMENT
The principle of natural justice demands provision of equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those having physical disabilities or belonging to minorities among other vulnerable groups. Therefore, in order to address the underrepresentation of the vulnerable classes, the following quotas already prescribed shall continue:
-
3% quota for disabled persons as per letter No.SORIV(S&GAD)7- 2/2015 dated 08-04-2015, and in keeping with instructions issued vide No. SOR.IV (S&GAD)7-1/2012, dated 27.07.2012.
-
15% quota for women as prescribed vides notification No.SORIV(S&GAD15-1/2012, dated 21-05-2012.
-
20% quota of posts in BS-1 to 5, Junior Clerks (BS-11) and Patwaris (BS-09) for the children of serving/retired government employees in BS-1 to 11, as prescribed vide notification No.SOR2-74/2008, dated 05.11.2011.
-
5% quota reserved for minorities (Non-Muslims) vide notification SOR-IV(S&GAD)16-1/2013 dated 27.03.2010