To instill more accountability and ensure better transparency in the recruitment process of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), the State Cabinet on Friday decided to upgrade it to the standard of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters here that the Cabinet was briefed on the recommendations of the P C Hota committee. The Cabinet has accepted almost all the 66 recommendations made by the committee to improve the systems and procedures of the KPSC for free, fair and merit-based selection to various posts and services.
Informing that the committee has found several shortcomings in the process of holding written examinations, conducting interviews and appointment of members to the KPSC panel, he said, “Necessary action will be taken to implement it without any delay.”
Other shortcomings found by the committee included conducting too many interviews per a day by each board, impairing quality, too many evaluations per day by each evaluator, no requirements at regular intervals, and category manipulation.
He said that committee also took note of the allegations regarding manipulation and irregularity in the interviews by the chairman and members, announcement of marks before interviews, inter-subject disparities in marks and delay in finalisation of merit list.
The committee felt the need to improve the process of interviews in the categories of gazetted probationers, main exams, pen and paper written exams.
The government, however, has not accepted the committee’s recommendations to set up a search committee with the chief secretary as chairperson to shortlist candidates for KPSC membership, reduce the present ratio of 20 candidates for one vacancy for the gazetted probationers to 14 and arming the interview board with the outside advisers.