Chandigarh, Jan. 4 -- Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday handed over appointment letters to 606 new recruits of the education department saying that the Punjab government so far has provided more than 61,000 government jobs to the youth of Punjab within four years. The newly appointed candidates include 385 special educator teachers, 157 primary teachers, eight principals, and 56 employees recruited on compassionate grounds. "After assuming office in April 2022, our government launched a massive recruitment drive under which 61,281 jobs have been provided so far. Every single appointment has been made purely on merit and transparency, and not even one has been challenged in court," said the CM. Mann said that previous governments failed to respect merit and competence, instead distributing government jobs among their sons, nephews and other favourites. "They never felt the pain of qualified youth who were forced to wander from pillar to post in search of employment. In just four years, we have ensured that young people from every village, town and city of Punjab get jobs purely on merit," he pointed out. The CM also highlighted that a separate cadre of special educator teachers has been created for children with special needs studying in government schools across the state. "Around 48,000 children with special needs are currently enrolled in government schools. To ensure quality education for them, we have appointed 385 teachers under this cadre," he said, adding that these appointments would significantly help such children develop skills at both primary and secondary levels. "Your duty is not only to educate these children but also to serve humanity. Your role in shaping their future will be even greater than that of their parents," he said to teachers. On the occasion, education minister Harjot Singh Bains said, "The impact of the state government's reforms is visible in every school. In 2022, out of 28 lakh students in government schools, nearly four lakh had to sit on the ground. Today, not a single child is without proper seating." Free bus service for girl students is benefiting nearly 10,000 schoolgirls every day, he added....