Punjab's Merit-Based Recruitment Crosses 67,000, CM Mann Hands Appointment Letters To 355 Youth

Published 8 June 2026 · india

Punjab's Merit-Based Recruitment Crosses 67,000, CM Mann Hands Appointment Letters To 355 Youth Published By, Last Updated: June 08, 2026, 22:26 IST Bhagwant Singh Mann

Punjab's Merit-Based Recruitment Crosses 67,000, CM Mann Hands Appointment Letters To 355 Youth Published By, Last Updated: June 08, 2026, 22:26 IST Bhagwant Singh Mann hands 355 appointment letters, says AAP has given 67,037 merit based jobs with no paper leaks, plans laws to regularise 65,000 contractual workers; expand ITIs Continuing Mission Rozgar, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann says, “Merit alone is basis for govt jobs in Punjab” Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday distributed appointment letters to 355 candidates across multiple government departments in Chandigarh, pushing the Aam Aadmi Party government’s total merit-based recruitment count to 67,037 since it assumed office in 2022. Mann said every one of those appointments was made without political recommendations, bribery, or favouritism, and that Punjab had not recorded a single exam paper leak since the AAP government took charge. The appointments covered candidates selected across the departments of Technical Education, Cooperation, Local Government, Water Supply and Sanitation, Animal Husbandry, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development, and others. Addressing the gathering, Mann drew a direct contrast with the national examination landscape. “Since 2017, around 93 examination papers have reportedly been leaked across the country. Incidents involving major examinations, including NEET, have disappointed and demoralised lakhs of youth. After our government assumed office in 2022, not even a single paper leak incident has surfaced in Punjab," he said. Mann posted on X after the event: “Today, 355 more youths were handed appointment letters, taking the total number of government jobs provided so far to 67,037.

All these jobs have been given purely on the basis of merit and transparency. At a time when papers like NEET are being leaked across the country, Punjab has set an example by ensuring honest recruitment and securing the top position in the nation in the field of education." 67,000-Plus Jobs, And A Few Candidates Collected More Than One Among those who received letters on Monday were candidates who had cleared competitive government exams more than once, securing placements in multiple departments across different recruitment cycles. Mann cited this as evidence that the process had genuine credibility. One of the appointees, the son of a watchman, received his fourth government job offer through merit alone. He told the gathering that the transparent process had prompted several of his NRI friends to consider returning to Punjab and applying for government positions. Newly appointed candidates from Dhuri, Patiala, Amritsar, and Mohali told the audience at the event that they had cleared the process without paying anyone or calling in any political contacts. Manpreet Kaur from Amritsar said her hard work had finally been rewarded after years of preparation. Parmeet Kaur from Mohali said she had become the first in her family to get a government job. Kala Singh, a retired soldier from village Buta Singh Wala in Patiala, said there had been no scope for manipulation in his recruitment. 65,000 Contractual Workers In Line For Regularisation Mann also announced that the Punjab government plans to introduce two new laws to create a pathway to permanent employment for over 65,000 contractual workers currently engaged through private contractors in state departments and entities.