Punjab Government Amends Civil Services Rules; Fixes Cut-Off Date for Eligibility Criteria
Chandigarh, February 13, 2026 ( Jobsoftoday)
The Punjab Government has officially amended the Punjab Civil Services (General and Common Conditions of Service) Rules, 1994, bringing clarity to the eligibility criteria in government recruitments. The amendment has been published in the Punjab Government Gazette (Extraordinary) dated January 22, 2026.
The notification was issued by the Department of Personnel (Personnel Policies-I Branch) under Notification No. G.S.R. 7/Const./Art. 309/Amd.(23)/2026 dated January 21, 2026.
New Rule 6A Inserted
Under the amendment, a new Rule 6A has been inserted after Rule 6 of the 1994 Rules.
As per the newly added provision:
"The cut-off date to determine the minimum educational and other qualifications, unless otherwise specifically provided in the relevant rules, shall be the last date for submission of application forms."
What This Amendment Means
This amendment clearly establishes that:
The last date for submission of application forms will be treated as the final date for determining eligibility.
Candidates must possess the required educational and other qualifications on or before the closing date of applications.
Any qualification obtained after the last date of submission will not be considered, unless specifically allowed in separate recruitment rules.
Immediate Implementation
The amendment is titled Punjab Civil Services (General and Common Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Rules, 2026 and has come into force from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
The notification has been issued under the powers conferred by the proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India.
Impact on Government Recruitment
The amendment is expected to:
Remove confusion regarding eligibility cut-off dates.
Ensure uniformity in recruitment processes.
Reduce disputes and legal challenges related to qualification timelines.
Improve transparency in government appointments.
The notification has been signed by the Chief Secretary to the Government of Punjab.
With this decision, the Punjab Government has taken an important step toward making recruitment procedures more transparent and streamlined across departments.
