The recent imbroglio surrounding the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) has reignited debate over the efficiency and transparency of the recruitment system.
With protests by aspirants on PSC ranklists drawing national attention over the past week, calls for reform have grown louder. Experts argue that the crisis underscores the need to insulate the commission from political influence.
The controversy comes as the commission marks seven decades of its existence. On November 1, 1956, the Travancore-Cochin Public Service Commission was transformed into the Kerala Public Service Commission, following the formation of the state.
Over the decades, the commission’s membership has expanded, with its sanctioned strength now standing at 21. Prof. M R Baiju is the current chairman.
Today, the PSC faces mounting scrutiny amid multiple probes and allegations involving corruption, irregularities in examinations, discrepancies in exam evaluation, and delays in appointments to various departments. Youth organisations have been staging protests, demanding greater accountability and transparency.
For former PSC chairman K S Radhakrishnan, however, the concerns of those on the ranklists are part of a much larger problem. “The more serious deficiencies lie in the failure to follow established procedures and, in some cases, the absence of clearly defined rules governing the commission’s functioning,” he says.
“Take a look at the Planning Board recruitment case. Prescribed examination procedures were flouted.”
Beyond examination procedures, the composition of the commission itself has come under scrutiny. Experts have questioned whether its members possess the experience and expertise required to oversee a recruitment system that determines access to thousands of public-sector jobs.
“Apparently, appointments to the commission often fail to reflect the professional competence expected of its members,” says Prof. M R Biju, head of the department of public administration and policy studies and dean of School of Global Studies at Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod.
He contrasts the state’s approach with that of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and other state commissions. “Please go through the UPSC panel or those of states such as Odisha. The panelists are experts and accomplished people whose appointment is not made randomly,” he observes.
“Here, when the appointment of the panel itself is mysterious, how can there be clarity in the selection of people who will be employed in various sectors?”
Radhakrishnan concurs, calling for a formal framework governing the selection of PSC members and the terms of their appointment. “Now, all appointments are arbitrary, and not as per a rule,” he notes.
Mohanan Kunnummel, vice-chancellor of the Kerala University of Health Sciences and acting vice-chancellor of Kerala University, also believes that the selection of commission members requires a “more rigorous and transparent process”.
He identifies competence, integrity and a willingness to work as the essential criteria, arguing that the UPSC offers a model worth emulating.
“The UPSC has about 7 to 8 members as against the 21 here, and includes eminent people who have either held responsible positions or are educationists of national-level institutes, or bureaucrats with a lot of experience,” he notes.
“Their reputation precedes them and will not allow them to falter. But here, the panel members’ appointments are mostly political.”
Mohanan believes the incentives attached to PSC panel membership further underline the need for greater scrutiny of appointments. “They get lifelong pensions,” he adds.
“Recruitment of the PSC panel needs some more attention, and should be done by a body that has not only administrators but also experts from various sectors.”
The recruitment process, he points out, also faces a persistent challenge beyond the commission’s internal functioning: delays in filling vacancies.
“Mostly, the delay happens due to the non-reporting of the vacancies to the PSC or because the posts get filled up by contract appointments,” he explains.
“A system to better monitor the vacancies from the government’s side could help address the allegations of delay in recruitment.”
While administrative reforms could address some of these concerns, experts also see scope for technology to improve the commission’s functioning.
K G Satheeshan, former CEO of Technopark and emeritus visiting professor at Digital University of Kerala (DUK), believes the PSC could draw on the capabilities of specialised institutions. “The commission can enter a tie-up with DUK or technical institutions across the country to revamp the functioning in tandem with the times,” he says.
Echoing the call for reforms, Kerala Startup Mission CEO Anoop Ambika says the state must acknowledge the changing nature of work and the limits of treating government employment as the primary route to economic security.
“It is time we look beyond the government as a job provider and see it as a job facilitator,” he says.
“There is an increasing number of graduates spending their productive years preparing for government exams. That should change. They should be encouraged to be partners in job creation.”
This, he adds, does not diminish the need to address the shortcomings in the recruitment system. “The PSC must still ensure that its examinations are conducted fairly, its appointments are transparent and vacancies are filled without undue delay,” he says.
Labour Minister Bindhu Krishna agrees. “When there are five vacancies, there are hundreds of applicants. So many are left frustrated. The recruitment process certainly needs better planning and structuring,” she adds.
“The chief minister has also hinted at reforms during cabinet-level interactions.”
Based on TNIE’s interactions with experts, one thing is clear. A comprehensive revamp must address the commission’s systemic weaknesses, and also upgrade with the times.