The Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) has come under scrutiny after serious irregularities were discovered in the evaluation of a recruitment examination conducted for senior posts in the State Planning Board. The controversy has prompted the Commission to cancel the existing ranking list, order a re-evaluation of the answer scripts and launch an internal surveillance investigation to determine how the omission occurred.The issue has raised concerns about the transparency and credibility of the recruitment process, especially as an appointment had already been made from the now defunct shortlist.
What triggered the Kerala PSC Assessment Controversy ?
The controversy arose after K Shyam Krishna, who secured the third position in the recruitment exam, obtained a copy of his assessed answer script after questioning the marks awarded to him.Upon reviewing the script, he discovered that the answers to questions 9 to 18 of the 100-point descriptive exam had not been graded. He subsequently lodged a formal complaint with the Kerala PSC, which compelled the Commission to verify the allegation.During its preliminary examination, the PSC found that the same set of 10 questions had remained unassessed in the answer scripts of all 228 candidates who appeared for the examination, indicating that the lapse was not confined to a single candidate.
What recruitment exam does it involve?
The contested examination was held on July 13, 2023 for the recruitment of three senior posts in the State Planning Board:
- Head (Industry and Infrastructure)
- None (perspective planning)
- Head (Planning Coordination)
These are senior government officials with a basic monthly salary of approximately Rs 1.25 lakh. Although the exam was conducted in 2023, the rank list was released on 31st May 2025.
What action has Kerala PSC taken?
After a meeting on Monday, the Kerala PSC announced a series of remedial measures to address the irregularities.The Commission has canceled the existing ranking list and ordered a fresh evaluation of the 10 responses that had remained unassessed. Based on this re-evaluation, a revised ranking list will be drawn up.The PSC has also conducted a comprehensive re-evaluation of all answer scripts to determine whether the slippage was the result of human error, deliberate manipulation or the involvement of any official in the evaluation process.An internal vigilance inquiry has also been ordered, with the Superintendent of Police (SP) of the Commission’s vigilance wing leading the probe.What about appointments already made?An appointment had already been made from the now canceled ranking list. Arun J. Prathap, who secured the first rank in the examination, was appointed as the head of the Industry and Infrastructure Division last year.The Commission has not yet clarified whether the revised assessment and the new ranking list will have any bearing on the appointments that have already been made.
The Court asks for explanations
The controversy gained wider attention after media reports highlighted the alleged assessment lapses. The matter has since reached the Kerala Administrative Tribunal, which has ordered both the Kerala government and the Kerala Public Service Commission to submit their explanations within three weeks.With the rank list cancelled, answer scripts ready for re-evaluation and a vigilance inquiry underway, the controversy has become one of the biggest recruitment-related issues the Kerala PSC has faced in recent years, raising important questions about evaluation procedures and institutional accountability.