Due to increasing complaints regarding recruitment processes in Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC), the state government is closely monitoring the developments. Also, the Internal Vigilance Department of the Commission has started investigation into the allegations to the selection for three key level posts in the State Planning Board.

According to government sources, CM Satheesan has received representations from job aspirants and various organizations expressing concern over the recent controversies to PSC recruitments.

Sources said the commission is a constitutional body with functional autonomy and the government considers the credibility of the recruitment process as a matter of public interest and will wait for the findings of the ongoing vigilance inquiry before deciding further action.

The investigation, ordered by the PSC itself, is being conducted by its internal vigilance wing headed by a Superintendent of Police rank officer. The investigation has been initiated following complaints regarding allegations of irregularities in the preparation of the rank list of the scheme board.

The commission has not yet reached any conclusion on the allegations and has launched an investigation to verify the complaints.

After the Planning Board issue, some candidates and organizations have again raised the demand for a detailed investigation into some of the earlier recruitments. These include recruitment for Kerala Administrative Service (KAS), Assistant Information Officer (OIO) and Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Complaints regarding these recruitments have come to light at different times in the past, although till now no official investigation has proved any wrongdoing.

New complaints or suggestions have also been given regarding the Research Officer examination held this month for the Department of Economics and Statistics. The candidates have sought clarification on the changes made in the syllabus and weightage of marks and have also raised questions on some aspects of the question paper. It is expected that these issues will be investigated through the Commission’s established grievance redressal process.

Officials said the government is primarily concerned that repeated complaints, regardless of their ultimate outcome, could undermine public confidence in one of the most important constitutional institutions of the state.

Every year lakhs of candidates depend on PSC recruitments, hence the administration has made it clear that the ongoing investigation should be completed expeditiously so that any uncertainty to the recruitment process can be resolved. The outcome of the vigilance inquiry is expected to decide the commission’s next action.

Government sources indicated that if further intervention was required, any decision on it would be taken on the basis of the findings of the investigation and not on the allegations alone.

The current PSC consists of the Chairman and 15 other members, who were appointed during the tenure of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Front government. The maximum tenure of a PSC member is six years or the age of 62, whichever is earlier, and Vijayan was in power from 2016-26.