"I have served as an invigilator on several occasions at my school, which was also a PSC examination centre, conducting examinations for both higher- and lower-grade government posts. Frankly, we would lose sleep the nights before these examinations because of the stress and responsibility involved. They had to be conducted with the utmost care and vigilance. It is now deeply saddening and disappointing to hear that all those efforts may have been meaningless and futile," says Sauda Beevi, a retired assistant teacher from Thodupuzha, Keralam.
Prakash Karthikeyan’s story is even more distressing. Still unemployed at the age of 37, Prakash made it to the PSC rank list for the LD Clerk post under the general category on his third attempt. Yet, he continues to wait indefinitely for an appointment call, even as the rank list is nearing its expiry date. With the unfolding scam exposing the disturbing state of affairs at the Commission, even his last remaining hope is beginning to fade.
Praksh and Sauda are just two among hundreds of stakeholders who now regret their faith and involvement in the Commission's examination and evaluation process in Keralam, following the shocking revelations about its deep-rooted corruption. While a former Air Force officer Mohandas believes it is high time to minimise human intervention in public job examinations and the evaluation process replacing them with structurally efficient and secured tech-based testing models, a Vadodara-based retired LIC officer argues that freeing these institutions from political interference is the only way to cleanse the system. These are among the views we heard as The New Indian Express spoke to several ordinary citizens, who ultimately bear the brunt of a rotten public system.
Political interference, favouritism and cash-for-Jobs
The Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) recruitment scam has now taken a serious turn, with allegations of widespread irregularities in examinations, evaluation of answer sheets and recruitment procedures. As the President's decision is awaited after the then State Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar in October recommended to President Droupadi Murmu the removal of Kerala PSC Chairman M.R. Baiju and other serving members, citing serious allegations of irregularities.
According to reports, the investigators have identified an external political command centre that allegedly influenced PSC officials and recruitment procedures, though these allegations are yet to be established in court.
However, on November 3, the Kerala High Court questioned the PSC's objections to the Crime Branch investigation and examined issues relating to its authority and recruitment transparency. The court reserved its order on the PSC's petition challenging the investigation.
Under Article 317 of the Constitution, the President can refer allegations of misbehaviour against PSC members to the Supreme Court for an inquiry.
According to Constutional experts, the Supreme Court will conduct an inquiry and submit its findings if the President refers the matter under Article 317, and can then decide on removal in accordance with the Court's report.
Meanwhile, the state Crime Branch has arrested PSC's former Deputy Secretary P. Satheesh and Additional Secretary R. Hari in connection with alleged recruitment irregularities. Senior officials, including PSC Chairman M.R. Baiju, have also been questioned.
The investigators have reportedly found that 10 questions carrying 58 marks were not evaluated in a Planning Board recruitment examination, affecting 228 candidates, while several other recruitment examinations are also under investigation.
As reported by TNIE last week, the PSC's conduct of examinations and the process of making appointments are allegedly deeply compromised by the interference of the respective ruling political parties. This is evident in the composition of the institution's governing board and the appointment of its key functionaries, including the Chairman, other senior officials and members, who are reportedly appointed from a list provided by the State Government, although the appointments are formally made by the Governor.
Evidence of corruption
On Wednesday (November 4), Keralam chief minister VD Satheesan alleged that politically connected individuals, relatives of those in power and their associates had secured appointments, sidelining deserving candidates who had undergone examinations and training. He said the appointments had severely damaged the PSC's credibility and vowed to investigate all allegations, including those concerning the Chairman's appointment and overnight vigilance clearance, and bring those found guilty to justice. He added that the probe had encouraged more people to come forward with complaints, which extended to several examinations, while differences of opinion had also emerged within the PSC itself.
Most of these examinations and appointments allegedly linked to the ongoing investigation took place in the last couple years when the Left parties were in power. Incidentally, the Crime Branch special investigation team has listed the Commission officials, including the chairman, members and other functionaries, aligned with the Left party as accused in the case pertaining to irregularities in the exam for the of fisheries extension officer.
The way out
Several experts and informed citizens who spoke to TNIE believe that institutions such as the Public Service Commission (PSC) can never function transparently unless political interference is completely eliminated.
Established under Article 315 (Part XIV) of the Indian Constitution, the Commission is mandated to ensure that government appointments are based on merit, qualifications and established procedures. For thousands of young job aspirants, it provides a vital pathway to employment and financial security. Its recruitment processes must, therefore, uphold the principles of integrity, transparency and impartiality to maintain public trust in government institutions.
“Liberating these institutions from political interference is the only way to cleanse the system. Appointments in educational institutions and recruitment agencies must be based on merit rather than political affiliations,” says P P Venugopal, a retired LIC officer based in Vadodara.
“We have, in the past, heard allegations of irregularities in employee recruitment at the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. Universities, too, have become arenas of political patronage, with parties placing their nominees in various positions. The same practice is evident in cultural institutions such as the Kerala Sahitya Akademi and the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, where political affiliations appear to influence appointments,” he lamented.
While the existing system at PSCs require a complete overhaul, experts believe technology can play a significant role in ensuring greater transparency and fairness in public examinations.
Minimising human intervention in the examination and evaluation processes could be one of the most effective ways to address existing vulnerabilities, says M K Mohandas, a retired Group Captain at the Indian Air Force.
“The structural efficiency and security of international standardised testing models offer a striking contrast to conventional public examination systems. Computer-Adaptive Testing (CAT), as used in examinations such as the GMAT, dynamically adjusts the difficulty of subsequent questions based on a candidate's previous responses. Consequently, candidates receive different sequences of questions, significantly reducing the risk of large-scale question paper leaks — a recurring concern in Indian public sector examinations,” says Mohandas.