THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor P Sathasivam’s returning of the file seeking approval for seven new PSC members asking whether the relevant criteria had been complied with may prompt the government to have a relook at the list.The Governor’s query whether it had ensured at least 50 per cent of the members belonged to the ‘official quota’ has put the government in a fix. According to PSC insiders, while making the proposal to appoint seven more members, the government has not followed the stipulations.
“PSC, which can have a full strength of 21, including the chairman, was short of seven members. But when the government made the proposal to fill the vacancies, it should have complied with the norms. As per norms, 50 per cent of the members should have been filled from the Central or state government service with a minimum service of 10 years,” a top officer told Express.
There being no stipulation for the minimum qualification for the post except the provision the member should not be insane or a pauper, successive governments had resorted to making political appointments to all PSC posts. In the past, people selected as PSC members possessed reasonable educational qualifications and administrative or academic experience irrespective of their political allegiance.
Now, out of the new list of seven, at least four held posts such as Library Assistant, UP School Assistant, Store Keeper and Junior Superintendent. Of this, the junior superintendent had the experience of working as Assistant Private Secretary to a minister in the LDF Ministry.
The PSC members are eligible to claim salary, DA and allowances worth over Rs 1.5 lakh besides several perks, including petrol allowances and car loans. Further, they are eligible for medical reimbursement and pension on retirement.