Thiruvananthapuram, October 10 (Daily Kiran) : The recent silence of CPI(M) student and youth organizations, SFI and DYFI, regarding serious irregularities in the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) examinations has sparked questions about their credibility. This controversy may now involve the constitutional recruitment body itself.
In the revised ranking list for the controversial State Planning Board examination, Shyam Krishnan has secured the top position after contesting discrepancies in the evaluation process. Arun J. Pratap, who was previously ranked first and had secured a job based on the original list, has now dropped to fifth place.
The PSC is preparing to initiate the appointment process for Krishnan while also planning to revoke the appointment recommendation for Pratap, who has been employed for over a year. This situation may lead to further legal disputes.
What is surprising is the silence of SFI and DYFI regarding the alleged irregularities, especially as the Crime Branch intensifies its investigation and the High Court has reprimanded the PSC.
The current 16-member commission, which includes a chairman and 15 members, was appointed by the previous LDF government led by Pinarayi Vijayan. The recruitment process also began during this administration.
This silence is particularly striking given that the revised list has demoted a candidate who was initially hired through the original list while promoting a complainant who challenged the evaluation process.
Recently, a leftist-affiliated organization protested against the appointment of a Congress leader‘s wife at a state government institution on a contract basis. The discrepancy between this reaction and the silence over the PSC issue raises questions about whether these organizations apply the same standards to alleged irregularities within their political camp.
The controversy deepened as ongoing investigations by the Crime Branch revealed more alleged irregularities in appointments made by the state’s primary recruitment agency.
Earlier this week, the Kerala High Court questioned whether failing to evaluate answers worth 58 points in the Planning Board examination equates to open corruption. The court emphasized the importance of maintaining trust in the PSC, as millions of job seekers depend on it.
The government has opposed the PSC’s claim that the oversight was merely clerical or technical. Officials argue that the failure to evaluate answers may indicate deliberate manipulation.
Over 150 complaints against the PSC have also been brought to the court’s attention. The PSC has challenged the Crime Branch’s investigation in the High Court.
The inquiry seeks to determine whether the evaluation errors were accidental or intended to benefit specific candidates.
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