Himachal Cabinet brings public service commission under law to prevent exam malpractices

SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Wednesday decided to bring the state's public service commission within the ambit of a law enacted to prevent malpractices at university, board and other examinations, according to a release.

The decision to bring the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission under the Himachal Pradesh Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board or Other Specified Examinations Act, 1984, aims to ensure fair and transparent selection of candidates. On February 21, the government dissolved the Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission after the paper for the Junior Office Assistant (IT) was leaked and transferred all ongoing recruitment to the public service commission.

It was decided at the meet to fill nine posts of the Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services on a regular basis through the public service commission. The Cabinet also approved the creation of 45 posts of different categories for Vulnerable Witness Deposition Centres in all 11 civil and sessions divisions, besides the Nalagarh, Sarkaghat, Sundernagar and Ghumarwin subdivisions.

The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, also decided to bring 90,362 MNREGA workers, Ekal Nari and persons with more than 40 per cent disability, registered street vendors and children living in orphanages under the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojna.

The rollout of the Himachal Pradesh Sadhbhawana Legacy Cases Resolution Scheme, 2023, for a three-month period with the aim of disposing approximately 50,000 cases still pending under various pre-GST era enactments was also approved.

The Cabinet also decided to fill 10 posts of civil judges through direct recruitment besides three posts of assistant professors at Dr Radhakrishnan Government Medical College, Hamirpur, and 15 posts of Ayurvedic Pharmacy Officers batch-wise in the Ayush department on a contract basis.

It also approved the formation of a Cabinet subcommittee comprising the Industries minister, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj minister and the PWD minister to decide and dispose of all matters on felling, removal and lopping of trees in territorial jurisdictions of the state's municipal corporations.

Approval was also accorded to set up a dedicated Centre for Science, Learning and Creativity at Bhog village in Anandpur (Shoghi) of Shimla to provide a forum for children to pursue their natural curiosity and quench their thirst for creativity. It would also support mass dissemination of hands-on science education and lead innovation in learning. Renaming of the Department of Environment, Science and Technology as the Department of Environment Technology and Climate Change was also approved.