Kerala PSC Row, Allegations Over Recruitments During The LDF Government

A case of flawed evaluation in one Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) examination has led to an investigation and fresh questions about its credibility, as well as scrutiny over how the agency may have functioned when the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) was in power.

Adding to the controversy, PSC members themselves are divided over the course of the investigation.

The red flags relate to a July 2023 examination conducted for recruitment to three posts in the Industry and Infrastructure Division, the Perspective Planning Division, and the Plan Co-ordination Division.

These are high-paying technical posts with a basic salary of roughly Rs 1.28 lakh a month, and 228 candidates appeared for the examination.

The rank list for the first post was published in May 2025.

The controversy surfaced after Shyamkrishnan K, who secured the third rank and missed out on selection, obtained a copy of his answer sheet under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

He found that answers to 10 questions had not been evaluated. The PSC later confirmed that answers worth 58 marks out of the total 100 had remained unevaluated for all 228 candidates.

The PSC said the lapse was caused by a problem with its digital evaluation system. According to the Commission, those questions had not been assigned to examiners. Candidates, however, argued that ignoring over half the paper could have materially changed the final scores.

The PSC subsequently ordered a re-evaluation of all answer sheets.

RTI battle deepens controversy

Shyamkrishnan also filed a second RTI application seeking the marks of all candidates, the work experience certificates of the top two rank holders, and the order fixing interview marks.

Fresh suspicions arose after the PSC declined to provide the information, stating that the examination was common to all three posts and one of the rank lists had not yet been finalised.

The matter then reached the State Information Commission (SIC), which directed the PSC to hand over the requested records within seven days. The SIC said the information could not be withheld without a valid legal exemption under the RTI Act.

The SIC's order strengthened demands for greater transparency in recruitment processes.

Another dispute soon followed.

PSC Chairman M.R. Baiju initially asked the Examination Controller to investigate the matter instead of the Commission's Vigilance Wing. Several PSC members objected. The Commission later decided that the Vigilance Wing would only determine whether the lapse resulted from a technical error.

The developments have revived allegations that the PSC was widely used for political appointments during the previous LDF government and that people linked to the CPM and its allies received favourable treatment.

The Kerala PSC has around 20 members apart from its chairman, making it one of the largest public service commissions in India. Critics argue that while commission members in many other states are drawn from the civil services, Kerala's PSC largely comprises political appointees.

Salary revision also under scrutiny

In February 2025, the LDF government increased the chairman's salary from about Rs 2.24 lakh to Rs 3.81 lakh a month. Members' salaries were raised from around Rs 2.19 lakh to Rs 3.73 lakh.

Critics have also pointed out that PSC members become eligible for a lifelong pension after six years of service.

The salary hike drew criticism because it came at a time when the state government cited financial constraints.

Flashback: The 2019 CPO examination scandal

Opposition parties have also referred to the 2019 Civil Police Officer recruitment case.

Three SFI leaders from University College, Thiruvananthapuram, had secured top ranks in the examination.

The alleged malpractice came to light after one of the candidates was arrested in connection with a campus stabbing case. During the investigation, police recovered answer sheets and later alleged that a smartwatch had been used to receive answers during the examination.

The three candidates were removed from the rank list and permanently barred from PSC examinations. Police also filed a chargesheet against six people, including a serving police officer.

Critics cite the case as evidence that the recruitment process had been compromised.

Job aspirants and opposition parties have also sought investigations into several other PSC recruitments, including those for Assistant Information Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kerala Administrative Service, Law College Assistant and university Public Relations Officer posts.

Another recruitment under criticism is that of Fisheries Department Extension Officers. Critics allege that many selected candidates came from the same fisheries university, which was also involved in conducting the examination and interviews.

These allegations, however, have not been established through any completed investigation.

The Left's stand

The Left has not issued an official response to the latest controversy. However, the previous LDF government has consistently denied allegations of political interference in PSC recruitments, maintaining that the Commission functions autonomously.

Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said the allegations are serious and that the government is examining the matter. A decision is expected after obtaining legal opinion.

On the Planning Board examination, the PSC has maintained that the problem resulted from a technical failure in the digital evaluation system and not from any deliberate action. The fresh evaluation and vigilance investigation are expected to establish what exactly happened.

Meanwhile, the Kerala Administrative Tribunal has sought an explanation from the PSC. The state cabinet is also expected to decide whether a separate government-level investigation should be ordered.

The issue has now spilled onto the streets. Youth Congress workers staged a protest outside the PSC headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. Police used water cannons before detaining and arresting protesters.

The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha has also intensified its attack, accusing the Congress-led UDF government of going soft on the issue. The organisation alleged that both the previous LDF government and the present UDF government had failed Kerala's youth. It demanded a thorough investigation, the arrest of those responsible, and warned of indefinite protests if the case is not properly investigated.

With a fresh evaluation, a vigilance probe, RTI disclosures ordered by the State Information Commission and tribunal proceedings now underway, the coming weeks are likely to determine whether the Planning Board examination was an isolated technical failure or the beginning of a wider investigation into recruitments made during the previous LDF government's tenure.