HPSC Assistant Professor Mathematics Results: Only 17 Candidates Qualify, 146 Posts Remain Vacant
The Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) has announced the results for the subject knowledge test for assistant professor positions in mathematics, revealing a startlingly low qualification rate of less than 11%. Out of the 163 advertised posts, only 17 candidates managed to clear the examination, leaving a staggering 146 vacancies unfilled. This outcome underscores the persistent and severe faculty shortage plaguing higher education institutions across the state of Haryana.
Examination Process and Qualification Criteria
The subject knowledge test was conducted on December 7 of the previous year. To advance to the subsequent stages of document verification and interview, candidates were required to secure a minimum of 35% marks. HPSC follows a rigorous three-stage selection process that includes a preliminary screening test, followed by the subject knowledge test, and culminating in a personal interview.
HPSC has released a provisional list containing the roll numbers of the 17 successful candidates. The commission has explicitly stated that this result is "subject to eligibility verification" and may be influenced by the outcomes of pending cases currently before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
A Troubling Pattern in Haryana's Recruitment
This disheartening trend is not an isolated incident. It mirrors a similar recruitment cycle for assistant professor positions in English, where less than 10% of candidates qualified. These consecutive low qualification rates have raised serious concerns regarding the stringency of the selection criteria, the perceived difficulty of the examinations, and a potentially shrinking pool of eligible candidates in the state.
Candidate Concerns and Criticisms
Candidates who appeared for the examinations have voiced significant grievances about the structure and fairness of the testing process. Sumit, a research scholar at IIT Guwahati, highlighted the inadequacy of the two-hour duration for the screening test. He pointed out that each question contained multiple subparts, and candidates were also burdened with filling out OMR sheets, making it disproportionately difficult to score above the required 25 marks.
Sumit also flagged a critical issue: the deletion of questions worth a total of 13 marks in an exam where the cutoff hovered around 26. He described this as "a significant concern," given the extremely narrow margin separating qualifying and non-qualifying scores.
Anjali, another research scholar from IIT Guwahati who attempted the subject knowledge test, stated that the exam was notably more difficult than previous HPSC examinations. She revealed, "Several questions were directly taken from 'Berkeley Problems in Mathematics,' which is based on PhD preliminary-level problems and is considered highly advanced."
Anjali criticized the exam's format, noting that such advanced tests are typically conducted over longer durations with multiple attempts or question choices. "Here, we had a single three-hour attempt with 15 questions, many of them extremely difficult and with little choice. There is a clear mismatch between the level of questions and the exam structure," she argued, adding that the 35% qualifying criterion appeared "extremely harsh."
Vijay, a postdoctoral fellow based in Brasov, Romania, questioned the fundamental design of the examination. "Candidates are not opposing high standards, but an exam design that seems to prioritize elimination over a meaningful evaluation of teaching competence and subject understanding," he stated. Notably, all three of these candidates did not qualify for the interview stage.
Proposed Solutions and Political Reaction
In response to these issues, candidates have suggested the formation of an independent committee comprising subject matter experts. This committee would be tasked with reviewing the paper design, time allocation, and assessing how many questions a well-prepared candidate could reasonably be expected to solve within the stipulated time.
Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda has termed the recurring trend "worrying." He remarked, "Haryana's youth are excelling in national-level exams like the UPSC, but they are struggling in state recruitment tests. In many cases, over 50% of posts remain vacant." He emphasized that this pattern raises significant concerns about the availability of opportunities for local candidates within their own state.
Official Stance and Broader Implications
Officials have indicated that the final recruitment outcome remains contingent upon the resolution of pending cases before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. HPSC, in its official communication, has asserted that "due care has been taken" in preparing the results and that any inadvertent errors will be rectified.
This recruitment drive is a crucial component of the state's efforts to fill teaching positions in government colleges. However, persistent delays, ongoing litigation, and perceived stringent criteria have consistently led to a severe faculty crunch. As a result, many higher education institutions in Haryana are forced to rely heavily on guest faculty or make ad-hoc teaching arrangements, compromising the quality and stability of education.
