Newsline explores the trend:

Men from Punjab on the wane
The numbers speak for themselves — this year, for 112 posts of constables, the UT police received 8,413 applications from Punjabi men. Of these, only 254 (3 per cent) managed to clear the physical tests and a meagre 28 cleared the written tests. Finally, after the interview, just 15 men were recruited. In 2007 as well, clearing the physical tests proved to be the biggest hurdle for the aspirants — of the 6,879 men who applied for the 270 posts of constables, only 487 qualified the physical tests.

Women counterparts fare better
While the men struggled to qualify, women from Punjab passed with flying colours. Of the 1,557 women who applied for 38 posts of constables, 145 (about 10 per cent) cleared the physical tests. Thirty qualified the written tests and ultimately nine were selected.

Haryana on top
Of the 12,794 men from Haryana who applied, 1,192 cleared the physical efficiency tests. Of the total 112 constables recruited, 79 men (70 per cent) are from Haryana. Of the 809 women applicants from Haryana, 130 passed the physical tests and 18 joined the force.

Applicants from other states
The police received 1,606 applications from residents of Chandigarh and 19 joined the force. While one candidate from Rajasthan was selected, two hailed from Himachal Pradesh, three from Uttar Pradesh and one from Rajasthan. A large number of candidates from Kerala (27) failed to qualify the tests. None of the 335 candidates from Delhi and 36 from Bihar were selected.

Are drugs killing Punjab?

The top brass admit...
Yes, male applicants from Punjab have been repeatedly failing to qualify the recruitment tests and the state of Haryana is increasingly dominating all recruitments. But on the bright side, women aspirants from Punjab have been clearing the tests
S K Jain
Inspector General of Police

We have noticed this trend slowly creeping in over the years in Chandigarh Police. While widespread use of drugs by youths in Punjab is one reason, various other complex socio-economic factors are also responsible for the less number of applicants from Punjab. Most Punjabis have a craze for going abroad and, thus, find other lucrative jobs
Gaurav Yadav
DIG (Intelligence)
Punjab and former SSP UT Chandigarh

According to a survey by the Punjab Government, 66 per cent of school-going students in the state consume gutkha or tobacco and seven of every 10 college students consume drugs. The survey indicates that there is at least one drug addict in nearly 65 per cent of the families in Majha, Doaba and Malwa areas.