Malayalis’ preference for government jobs is legendary. No wonder then that PSC runs perhaps the largest number of recruitment exams in the country. But the allegations of plagiarism and collusion between PSC insiders and coaching centres have dented its integrity. Express examines
The Kerala Public Service Commission conducts more number of exams than the UPSC, and probably even more than the exams of all other state PSCs combined. Yet the constitutional body is now mired in controversies like never before. Complaints ranging from PSC exam questions being copied verbatim from guides brought out by private academies to rampant malpractices in exam halls, these allegations have posed serious questions about the credibility of PSC examinations.
The most recent controversy was an allegation by P T Thomas, MLA, that the PSC plagiarised Pakistan’s 2001 civil service exam while setting questions for Kerala Administrative Service (KAS) preliminary examinations held recently. The charge created quite a flutter forcing PSC chairman M K Sakeer to come out with a detailed clarification. Terming the charge as a sub-standard one to discredit PSC, the chairman said they were theory-based questions relating to public administration and could figure in similar tests across many countries.
Links with coaching centres
Meanwhile, an ongoing probe by the Vigilance into functioning of certain PSC coaching centres allegedly run by government employees also triggered a controversy. The coaching centres are under the scanner for allegedly aiding students on their rolls to cheat in PSC examinations. The Vigilance is also probing allegations that these government officials had influence in various sections of PSC.
“Earlier, PSC officials were not linked to malpractices as they were aware of the importance of the posts they hold in a Constitutional body. But the reports of alleged links between officials of PSC and the secretariat with private coaching centres are highly disturbing. Such unhealthy practices dent the PSC’s credibility,” said K S Radhakrishnan, former PSC chairman.
Coaching centres have also been accused of facilitating its students to sit in the same exam hall so as to carry out malpractices easily. This is done by submitting applications online at the same time, usually when the traffic to the PSC website is low, so that the candidates are allotted not only the same exam centre but also nearby seats.However, PSC has recently rectified this anomaly by letting the candidates know their question paper code only when they reach the exam hall. In such a scenario, candidates having adjacent roll numbers may not get the questions in the same order.
Vigilant invigilators needed
PSC officials point out that most of the malpractices occur at the exam centres and these can be curbed to a large extent if the invigilators are vigilant enough. The malpractices at University College, in which two SFI leaders were involved, could have been prevented had the invigilators done their duty properly.
The Crime Branch, which probed the case, found that the duo used smart watches to send out the question paper and get the answers back. “The PSC should create proper awareness among the invigilators that they are carrying out a duty as important as conducting the election. Also, the Controller of Examinations should be kept free of interference by the chairman or the members,” said Radhakrishnan.
Allegations that rocked PSC
2010 Fake government job scam in 2010 damaged the credibility of the PSC. it was found that a few revenue officers had prepared fake PSC appointment orders in return for cash and facilitated back door entry of about eight people to government jobs. The scam happened in Wayanad and the accused were linked to the CPI.
March 2012 PSC cancelled the examination for the post of Higher Secondary School teacher (Economics- Junior and Senior) and Vocational Higher Secondary School teacher (Economics) after it was found that several questions were copied from a guide prepared by an institute.
2013 Selection test for sub-inspectors ran into troubled waters after it was alleged that over-aged candidates were admitted for test and weightage marks were given by flouting norms.
February 2020 The preliminary exam to the Kerala Administrative Service initially evoked awe as the questions were tough to crack. But soon, allegations began surfacing that some of the questions were copied from rank guides issued by private coaching centres. Congress legislator P T Thomas compounded the PSC’s woes by claiming that some questions were reproduced from Pakistan Civil Service examination held in 2001. PSC rejected the allegations as baseless.
January 2019 Selection test for the Assistant Public Prosecutor’s post was mired in controversy after candidates complained of question paper plagiarism. They alleged that out of 100 questions, 80 were from a particular guide.
July 2019 The probe into a stabbing case involving SFI activists accidentally spilled the beans on PSC exam fraud. The trio, with help of their aides, leaked the question paper and got the answers through their smart phones. The PSC washed its hands off claiming the leak happened at the exam centre.