Kerala PSC evaluation lapse sparks political storm; Minister seeks high level probe

Thiruvananthapuram, July 1
A major evaluation lapse in the Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) has snowballed into a political controversy, casting fresh doubts over the recruitment process for senior positions in the State Planning Board and triggering demands for an independent, high-level investigation.

Sports Minister O.J. Jenish, who is also the Youth Congress president, on Wednesday came down heavily on the PSC, saying the episode had shaken the confidence of thousands of job aspirants.

Stating that the concerns of Kerala's youth could not be ignored, the minister alleged that the irregularities warranted far more than an internal enquiry and announced that he would meet up with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan seeking a more comprehensive probe.

Jenish said the public could not be faulted if it suspected that the PSC had been subjected to political misuse over the past decade.

"A mere internal vigilance probe will not inspire confidence," he said, calling for an impartial investigation to establish accountability.

The controversy relates to the examination held on July 13, 2023, for the posts of Chief, Industry and Infrastructure Division, Chief, Perspective Planning Division, and Chief, Planning Coordination Division in the State Planning Board.

The posts carry a basic monthly salary of Rs 1.25 lakh.

The PSC published the rank list on May 31, 2025, and the first-ranked candidate for the Industry and Infrastructure Division was appointed very quickly.

The issue surfaced after unsuccessful candidates, who suspected discrepancies in their scores, sought copies of their evaluated answer scripts.

After their requests under the Right to Information Act and subsequent appeals were rejected by the PSC, one of the candidates approached the State Information Commission.

It was only when the Commission was poised to order disclosure that the PSC furnished the answer sheets, revealing that ten descriptive answers had not been evaluated.

It has now surfaced that the omission affected all 228 candidates who appeared for the common examination for the three posts.

The PSC has announced an internal vigilance enquiry into the lapse and said the unevaluated answers of all candidates will now be assessed before a revised rank list is prepared.

It also stated that, since some candidates have already approached the Kerala Administrative Tribunal, further action regarding those who have already received advice memos and appointments will be subject to the Tribunal's decision.

Eyebrows have been now raised over the silence of the CPI-M led Left Opposition and despite the Assembly having a session that ends today, contrary to the norm, they have maintained stoic silence over this, which is uncharacteristic of the way the Left works.

Significantly, the present PSC Board comprises 15 members, all of whom were appointed by the Pinarayi Vijayan government when it was in power in Kerala.