Ludhiana, April 1 -- Anger erupted among apprentice linemen across Punjab after Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) uploaded its long-awaited notification for the recruitment of 6,000 Assistant Linemen (ALMs), with candidates alleging that the move has put their employment prospects at risk instead of offering relief.

While the large-scale recruitment drive was expected to trigger celebrations among those who had completed or were currently undergoing apprenticeships at the power utility, the notification instead sparked widespread resentment over the removal of apprenticeship preference and the scrapping of mandatory punjabi as an eligibility criterion.

The issue snowballed on Monday, with apprentice linemen holding parallel...