THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Allegations that beset the state Public Service Commission (PSC) over alleged irregularities in its recruitment process to administrative posts prompted the UDF government to order a probe by a special investigation team (SIT).
Oddly enough, it was a quarrel between two candidates who featured on the rank list for the coveted post of chief of industry and infrastructure with the planning board that brought the malfeasance out in the open. After falling short of the expected top rank, K Shyam Krishnan and J S Jayalal applied for release of their answer sheets under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. But the PSC sat on their applications and issued the answer sheets after about a year. To their dread, they found that answers to 10 questions — which accounted for 58 marks — had not been tabulated.
The commission contended that the anomaly was the result of a technical glitch in the on-screen marking (OSM) system. But the inordinate delay in handing over copies of the answer sheets raised eyebrows.
Even while in the opposition, the UDF accused the ruling LDF of engaging in political and back-door appointments, which it said were plaguing the PSC’s functioning. It highlighted the 2019 civil police officer exam where three leaders of the SFI topped the rank list, only to be exposed later for cheating.
The SIT investigation corroborated the allegations. It revealed malpractices in several exams. This led to the arrest of a retired deputy secretary and an additional secretary. In a further fallout, commission chair M R Baiju and an unspecified number of members were listed as accused for improprieties in the selection of fisheries extension officers.
The probe revealed a clear pattern. Most of the beneficiaries were allegedly CPM sympathisers or those linked to its feeder outfits.
Of the 43 candidates appointed fisheries extension officers, 38 were from Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) and affiliated with the SFI.
The FIR made a damning allegation that the irregularities were committed at the behest of CPM-affiliated PSC staff, members and chairman. The political hues of the candidates overshadowed merit and through tailor-made rank lists and chicanery, favourites were placed in cosy posts, the probe revealed.
SIT sources said no less than three other exams are under the scanner and separate cases will be registered soon. Sleuths received nearly 190 complaints covering around 60 exams.
Former governor Rajendra Arlekar, a week before being transferred to Tamil Nadu, recommended that President Droupadi Murmu sack Baiju and members. And as it turns out, the previous chair, M K Sakeer, is also on the radar.
R S Sasikumar, Kerala University syndicate member and chairman of the Save University Forum who filed complaints with the SIT against the PSC, said the credibility of the commission is at an all-time low. “It’s sad to see a constitutional body’s reputation being shredded to pieces. The PSC has let down lakhs of students and youth. It will find it difficult to regain lost prestige.”
He said the government must ensure that officials who had a role in facilitating the scam are prosecuted. “Arrest them all. They should pay the price for playing with the lives of eligible candidates. Their punishment should serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.
Multiple concerns
Amid the avalanche of complaints, the bench strength of the PSC board, the qualifications of its members and their wages have also come under scrutiny.
Following the formation of the state in 1956, the three-member Travancore-Cochin PSC was reconstituted as the Kerala PSC. The number of members was increased to five in 1959, seven in 1971, eight in 1981, nine in 1982, 13 in 1983, 14 in 1984, 15 in 1985, and 19 in 2005. It hit a sanctioned strength of 21 members in 2013.
Members are selected by the government and appointed by the governor. The chairman and members can only be removed from office by the President, in accordance with constitutional procedures. While no statutory educational qualification has been set for members, at least half of them should have held office for at least 10 years under either the Union or state government. However, all the appointments are treated politically, with ruling dispensations over the years sharing the posts.
According to the 2024 annual report of the Keralam commission, it facilitated the most employment among PSCs in the country. From July to December 2023, the body recruited 18,964 candidates, which was nearly half of the recruitments (38,605) carried out by all PSCs, including the UPSC. Keralam was followed by Odisha (4,199) and Maharashtra (2,804).
But it’s when the bench strength of various PSCs is compared that the anomaly comes to the fore. For instance, the Odisha PSC had only six sanctioned posts for members, including chairman, as of May 2025. Excluding its chairman, Maharashtra PSC has only five members.
Even among the more populous states, Uttar Pradesh has a seven-member PSC, while the Bihar body is limited to four and Gujarat 10. Even the UPSC has only nine members, including its chairman. Most of the members in other states are retired IAS officers, professionals, retired defence personnel, or academicians.
Salary burden
The KPSC spends a sum of Rs 58.51 lakh every month on the salaries of the chairperson and its 15 current members. The chairman draws over Rs 4 lakh a month, while a member gets over Rs 3.79 lakh . The revised salary scale, at the level of district court judges, was announced in February 2025 by the then chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. While the PSC chairman gets paid at the scale of district judge (super time scale), a member is paid at that of a district judge (selection grade).
Upon completing the six-year tenure, the PSC chairman is eligible for a monthly pension of Rs 2.5 lakh — which was Rs 1.25 lakh before the 2025 revision. A PSC member’s pension jumped from Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs 2.25 lakh. This is the highest pension received by any state appointee.
Along with salary, the medical bills of members are covered for treatments availed by them and their dependents. An official vehicle with driver, personal staff, furnished office, leave encashment, gratuity and provident fund are some of the other benefits they enjoy.
Varying opinions
Over the years, no reason has often been cited for increasing the strength of the state PSC, former chairman and BJP state vice president K S Radhakrishnan said, adding that the current 21-member body is too large.
“Imagine a person whose highest educational qualification is SSLC interviewing candidates for the vacancy of thoracic surgeon in a medical college. This happened when I was chairman. How insulting would that be for candidates. It is high time that a minimum educational qualification is set for PSC members.”
Having worked with Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh commissions, former KPSC member T R Anil Kumar had a different take. “Many states have separate recruitment boards for teachers and police officers, while in Kerala, PSC manages the appointments of candidates to nearly every post. Members are supposed to take policy, academic, and administrative decisions, appear on interview panels, etc., which is a tiresome job,” Anil said.
“There are senior professors and academicians who could have got a similar pension had they not become a PSC member. Because government officials cannot continue on their job after they work in the PSC, the salaries and pensions are more or less justified.”
Ultimately, the credibility of a constitutional body entrusted with public employment rests not merely on how many candidates it recruits, but also the transparency of its functioning, how competently its decisions are made and how far its appointments remain insulated from political considerations. Salary breakup of PSC members:
Chairman: Rs 2,24,100 (Basic pay )
DA: Rs 1,34,460
HRA: Rs 10,000
Total salary (including other allowances): Rs 4 L
Total salary before revision: Rs 2.24 L
Member: Rs 2,19,090 ( Basic pay)
DA: Rs 1,31,454
HRA: Rs 10,000
Vehicle Allowance: Rs 5,000
Total salary (including other allowances): Rs 3.79L
Total salary before revision: Rs 2.19 L
Pension upon completing tenure
Chairman: Rs 2.5 L (before revision: Rs 1.25 L)
Member: Rs 2.25 L
(before revision: Rs 1.20 L)
Red-Flagged
Exams conducted by PSC that have come under the scanner
Assistant motor vehicle inspector
Dept: MVD
Rank list: 2024
Allegation: 47 out of 100 questions were copied from a single guide
Village oil inspector
Dept: Khadi Board
Rank list: 2021
Allegation: Qualification was altered to favour candidate, spouse of a PSC staff. The candidate attended a 15-day course, which fell short of the notified three-month course, just prior to the issue of notification hinting insider play
Fisheries extension officer
Dept: Fisheries
Rank list: 2022
Allegation: 38 out of 43 appointees were from KUFOS and they all allegedly were affiliated with SFI
Chief of industry and infrastructure
Dept: Planning Board
Rank list: 2025
Allegation: 10 questions weighing 58 marks were not evaluated apparently to favour a candidate affiliated with a left union
By The Numbers
The KPSC currently has a chairman and 15 members
Total sanctioned posts: 21 (including chairman)
Member count of other state PSCs
UPSC: Chairman + 8 members
Uttar Pradesh: Chairman + 6 members
Bihar: Chairman + 3 members
Gujarat: Chairman + 9 members
Odisha: Chairman + 5 sanctioned posts (as of May 2025)
Maharashtra: Chairman + 5 members
According to Article 316 of the Indian Constitution, at least half of PSC members should have held office for at least 10 years either under the Union or state government. However, no statutory educational qualification has been set, even if the member is a government official or not
In other states, most of the members are retired IAS officers, other professionals, retired defence officers, or academicians.
Other emoluments
Free medical treatment for self and dependents, reimbursement only if fund is availaable under medical reimbursement head
Official vehicle with driver, personal staff, furnished office in Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram
Tenure: Six years or till age 62, whichever is earlier
Other benefits: Leave encashment, gratuity, provident fund
No statutory educational qualification
(Following revision in Feb 2025; per month)