this kerala public service commission The State Planning Commission (PSC) is under scrutiny after serious irregularities were found in the evaluation of recruitment examinations for senior posts at the State Planning Commission. The controversy prompted the committee to scrap existing ranking lists, order a re-evaluation of answer sheets and launch an internal vigilance investigation to determine how the lapse occurred.The issue has raised concerns about the transparency and credibility of the recruitment process, particularly as an appointment has already been made based on a now-cancelled ranking list.
what triggered Kerala PSC assessment controversy ?
Controversy surfaced after K Shyam Krishna, who secured third rank in the recruitment exam, was given a copy of the assessment answers after questioning the marks given to him.While reviewing the script, he discovered that the answers to questions 9 to 18 on the 100-point descriptive exam had not been evaluated. He subsequently lodged a formal complaint with the Kerala Public Service Commission, prompting the commission to verify the allegation.According to reports, the PSC found in its preliminary review that the same set of 10 questions had still not been assessed in the answer sheets of all 228 candidates who took the exam, indicating that the lapse was not limited to a single candidate.
What recruitment tests are involved?
This examination will be held on July 13, 2023 to recruit three senior positions in the National Planning Commission:
- Director (Industry and Infrastructure)
- Director (Vision Planning)
- Director (Planning and Coordination)
The basic monthly salary for these senior government jobs is around Rs 1.25 lakh. Although the exam will be conducted in 2023, the ranking list will be announced on May 31, 2025.
What action has been taken by the Kerala PSC?
After Monday’s meeting, the Kerala PSC announced a slew of corrective measures to address the irregularities.The committee canceled the existing ranking list and ordered a re-evaluation of 10 answers that had not yet been evaluated. Based on this, a revised ranking list will be drawn up.The PSC also directed a complete re-evaluation of all answer scripts to determine whether the lapses were due to human error, deliberate manipulation or the involvement of any officials in the evaluation process.An internal vigilance inquiry has also been ordered, to be led by the Superintendent of Police (SP) of the commission’s vigilance wing.What happens to appointments already made?An appointment has been made in the now-canceled ranks list. Last year, Arun J. Prathap, who topped the examination, was appointed Minister of Industry and Infrastructure.The Commission is yet to clarify whether the revised assessment and new ranking list will have any impact on appointments already made.
Arbitral tribunal seeks explanation
The controversy gained wider attention after media reports highlighted alleged assessment lapses. The case has been brought before the Kerala Administrative Tribunal, which has directed the Kerala government and the Kerala Public Service Commission to submit explanations within three weeks.With the rank list being withdrawn, answer sheets for the new evaluation being set and a vigilance inquiry underway, the controversy has become one of the most significant recruitment-related issues faced by the Kerala Public Service Commission in recent years, raising important questions about the evaluation process and agency accountability.