PSC Planning Board exam: Re-evaluation ordered after 10 questions left unmarked

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to salvage its shaken credibility, the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) has decided to evaluate the answers that were erroneously left unmarked in a written examination held for key positions in the State Planning Board.

The corrective measure follows widespread backlash after it emerged that the Commission had finalised a rank list and proceeded with appointments despite failing to grade 10 questions that accounted for a massive 58 marks. The PSC has now announced that all answer sheets from the examination will undergo a fresh, comprehensive evaluation, adding that any appointments made in the interim will be strictly subject to the final verdict of the Administrative Tribunal.

Internal probe ordered into 'omission'

To ascertain how such a critical oversight occurred, the PSC has handed over the investigation to its internal wing, led by the Vigilance Superintendent of Police (SP). The inquiry will specifically look into whether the lapse was a deliberate act of malpractice or a severe technical malfunction.

The examination in question was conducted on July 13, 2023, with 228 candidates appearing for the test. The general rank list for the positions was subsequently published nearly two years later, on May 31, 2025.

The discrepancy came to light due to the persistence of K. Shyam Krishnan, who secured the third rank in the published list. Suspecting errors in his total score, Krishnan filed a request under the Right to Information (RTI) Act to obtain a copy of his answer script.

Upon reviewing the documents, he discovered that answers for questions 9 through 18 had been completely bypassed by the evaluators and left unmarked. Krishnan subsequently moved the Administrative Tribunal seeking legal intervention.

Current Status of Appointments: Despite the simmering controversy, several appointments from the flawed rank list have already moved forward. Arun J. Pratap, who secured the first rank for the post of Chief of Industry and Infrastructure, has already assumed charge. Similarly, an advice memo has been dispatched to the top ranker on the list for Chief of the Planning Coordination Division. Meanwhile, the recruitment process for the Chief of the Perspective Planning Division remains stalled due to the ongoing legal battle.

Systemic failure in digital valuation

The examination was evaluated using the PSC’s digital 'on-screen marking' system. According to preliminary findings by the Commission, the blunder occurred because the specific batch of 10 questions was inadvertently left unassigned to the examiners' digital accounts during the evaluation workflow, causing the system to overlook them entirely.