PSSSB Craft Instructor exam 2026 postponed: high court stays recruitment process

The Subordinate Services Selection Board, Punjab (PSSSB) announced on 5 October 2026 the postponement of the Craft Instructor recruitment process 2026, including the written examination. This decision follows a stay order issued by the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court, which directed that the recruitment process shall remain stayed until further orders.

The stay order was issued after a hearing held on 5 October 2026 in case CWP No. 32076 of 2026, titled Jaskanwar Singh Vs State of Punjab and others. The PSSSB Craft Instructor Recruitment 2026 was announced under Advertisement No. 03 of 2026 for posts in the Department of Technical Education and Industrial Training.

Reasons for the Postponement

The postponement of the Craft Instructor recruitment process stems directly from the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s directive. The court’s order on 5 October 2026 in CWP No. 32076 of 2026, Jaskanwar Singh Vs State of Punjab and others, explicitly stated that the recruitment process, including the written examination, would remain stayed until further orders. This legal intervention has halted the ongoing process, which had seen admit card mentions as recently as 21 September 2026 for an Electrician exam scheduled for 6 October.

The official public notice regarding this postponement was issued by PSSSB on 5 October 2026. While the examination has been postponed, PSSSB has clarified that the recruitment process has not been cancelled. No new date for the Craft Instructor written examination has been announced, and any revised schedule will be published on the official PSSSB website.

Broader Context of Recruitment Delays in Punjab

The postponement of the Craft Instructor recruitment is part of a larger pattern of recruitment processes in Punjab being stalled due to litigation and administrative delays over the last nearly four years. Many recruitments initiated during the previous Congress government were not completed, leading to significant backlogs and challenges for job seekers. Pargat Singh stated, “It was a conscious decision to make transparent, corruption-free recruitments, and it was proved in making recruitments, but certain administrative issues were raised. The AAP govt had ample time to complete the stalled recruitments, but it seems more interested in only making claims and not doing enough for the unemployed to get jobs.”

Examples of such delays include the withdrawal of an advertisement for 2,000 physical training instructor (PTI) posts and 5,994 ETT cadre positions, both due to candidates with higher qualifications approaching the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The recruitment for 5,994 ETT cadres remains incomplete due to de-reservation of posts. The recruitment for 42 research assistant posts advertised in 2023 was scrapped in December 2025 due to legal and administrative reasons following high court challenges over arbitrary eligibility relaxations, despite the written examination being held in February 2025. Sukhwinder Singh Dhilwan stated, “We have been protesting indefinitely in Sangrur for over a week regarding these delays.” Other instances include the postponement of recruitment for 198 senior assistants by PPSC in 2022 from February 23, 2025, and the cancellation of recruitment for 343 lecturers in Group B on September 29, 2023, to reset qualifications/service rules. Also, the Supreme Court quashed the recruitment of 1,158 assistant professors and librarians on July 14, 2025.

Guidance for Affected Candidates

Candidates who have applied for the PSSSB Craft Instructor Recruitment 2026 are advised to regularly monitor the official PSSSB website, www.sssb.punjab.gov.in, for the latest updates regarding the recruitment process and any revised examination schedule. The board has not provided a new date, and information will be made available as the legal situation evolves.

Applicants should keep their application ID, registration number, and password ready for future portal logins. While the examination is postponed, it is not cancelled, and candidates may use this additional time to continue their preparation by revising the prescribed syllabus, trade topics, and previous year question papers.

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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