Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board (PSSSB) has begun allotment of departments to the shortlisted candidates on merit.

Informing this, Board chairman Raman Behl said the board conducts exams for the recruitment to Group C posts for various departments of the state government. Earlier, after the exams, the departments were allotted to the shortlisted candidates randomly.

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“This methodology lacked transparency and hence the candidates were sceptical about the allotments. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has always believed in fair, transparent and merit-based selections. Goaded by his concern for the youth and his commitment towards them, the CM sought the allotment of departments to candidates shortlisted by the Board to be done on merit basis,” he added.

Behl said that as in the Civil Services exams the candidates are asked to give their priorities, similarly, the candidates shortlisted through the written exams conducted by SSSB now have the option of choosing the department of their choice.

He said that 48 departments are available for clerks to opt from and 28 for the steno typists. These departments are displayed on the website of the board out of which every candidate is permitted to list six options. After the success in exam, the candidates are allotted department out of their given option with the topper in the merit list getting an option to choose first.

Further detailing the process, Behl said that the SS Board has conducted the exam for the recruitment of 1883 clerks and 403 steno typists. The counselling for clerical posts has commenced on 10 June.

During the counselling, shortlisted candidates are called to the office of the SS Board in batches of 50, beginning from the top of the merit list. Therein, the candidates mention their priority departments and are allotted jobs in the same as per the vacancy.

Every day, the list of available vacancies is updated after allotments are done on the preceding day so that the next batch of candidates is aware of the available options.

The chairman said with this move merit will prevail in the new system and it will also go a long way in restoring the faith of youth in the fairness of the system.

Besides, this will minimise litigation as it will involve zero discretion of SSSB authorities and every candidate would be aware as to why they were allotted a particular department, Behl said.