PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that the State government has implemented strict measures to ensure that competitive examinations are conducted with fairness and integrity. He said this during a programme wherein he presented appointment letters to 139 candidates selected for various positions in the Higher Education and Medical Education departments on Tuesday. Out of the 139 appointment letters, 52 were for assistant professors in the Higher Education department, 18 for professors and 36 for associate professors in Medical Colleges under the Medical Education department. Additionally, candidates selected through the Medical Services Selection Commission received appointment letters for 33 posts of Tutor and Medical Social Worker in Nursing Colleges. Speaking on the occasion, Dhami congratulated the newly appointed candidates and urged them to work with commitment and honesty to help fulfill the state government’s vision of making Uttarakhand the best state in the country. He emphasised that jobs in Uttarakhand are now being awarded solely based on merit, talent and ability. As a result of this approach, the number of candidates receiving appointments in various services in the state is expected to exceed 23,000 over the next three and a half years. The CM praised the talent and hard work of the selected candidates, noting the significant role their parents and teachers played in their success. He said that teaching is a noble responsibility, as it not only shapes the future of the youth but also contributes to societal development. Dhami highlighted that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, significant progress is being made to strengthen health facilities in Uttarakhand. Special attention is being given to enhancing infrastructure at various levels, constructing and modernising hospitals, establishing medical colleges in every district and improving medical services. He further said that concrete efforts are underway to strengthen the education system in the state. Uttarakhand has made history by being the first state in the country to implement the new education policy. The government is enhancing infrastructure in higher education institutions and ensuring all necessary measures are taken for a quality education system. Efforts to fill vacant professor positions are being expedited, he said. Education minister Dhan Singh Rawat said that all faculty positions in the Higher Education department have now been filled, making Uttarakhand a leading state in this regard. He also said that significant progress is being made to fill regular faculty positions in medical colleges, with 70 per cent of these roles already filled. Over 85 per cent of the remaining faculty positions are expected to be filled within the next three months and the appointment process for 400 associate professors for medical colleges will also be completed soon, he said.