TOBA TEK SINGH, Sept 21: Irregularities have been reported in recruitments to certain vacant posts in the district health department during the third phase of the process.

Source told Dawn here on Friday that five candidates, who were declared successful in typing test conducted by a recruitment committee for five posts of junior clerks, had no typing experience.

When the 33 failing candidates moved District Coordination Officer (DCO) Nawazish Ali, he took serious notice of the irregularities into the recruitments and directed the deputy district officer (coordination) to probe into the matter. The inquiry officer reported that the recruitment procedure adopted by the health department was not transparent.

Source said the inquiry officer directed the health department to get the typing test conducted through Government Commercial Training Institute on which only one of the five contestants could qualify the said test. Also, only one of the 33 failing candidates could clear the test.

The DCO then wrote a letter to executive district officers of health, revenue, finance and planning, education, communication and works, information technology, community development and agriculture departments stating the instructions conveyed to them during last month regarding adherence to the merit and criteria in recruitment process had not been taken seriously.

The DCO directed them not to recur such practice in future besides all such posts where candidates fail to fulfil the qualification or clear test should be re-advertised without showing leniency to anyone.

He also warned them that any deviation from the instructions would be dealt with severely at local level as well as it would be reported to the high-ups.