Kerala PSC rank list scam: Vigilance inquiry initiated into exam irregularities; Chairman faces heat

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Following a strict directive from the Right to Information (RTI) Commission to release crucial examination documents, the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) has decided to hand over the investigation into alleged rank list irregularities to a Vigilance Superintendent of Police (SP). The decision was taken during a recent PSC meeting as the commission faced intense scrutiny over suspected double standards in answer sheet evaluation and mark manipulation during interviews. The move comes at a time when the state government was reportedly preparing to launch a comprehensive probe into the matter.

During the high-level meeting, PSC Chairman M.R. Baiju faced severe criticism from commission members, leaving him isolated. Members alleged that previous attempts had been made to sabotage the inquiry, which severely damaged the credibility of the recruitment body. The meeting noted that if the investigation continued in its previous manner, the Chairman himself could face scrutiny regarding his handling of the situation.

The investigation by the Vigilance and Internal Security Officer pertains to allegations surrounding the recruitment process for the post of Chief in the Industry and Infrastructure Division of the Kerala State Planning Board. Police Crime Branch SP Cini F. Dennis, who holds the charge, has been tasked with leading the inquiry. The commission has directed the officer to submit an interim report within two weeks. This decision follows a recent row where Chairman Baiju reportedly overturned a prior commission agreement, choosing instead to task the Controller of Examinations—an official working directly under him—with the inquiry.

RTI commission intervenes

Meanwhile, an order by the RTI Commission has forced the PSC to release the examination records to applicants within seven days, overriding objections previously raised by the commission. The order was issued on an appeal filed by Shyamkrishnan, a resident of Thiruvananthapuram, after the requested documents were allegedly withheld for over a year. The PSC must now disclose the complete breakdown of marks for both the written examination and the interview, a development that is expected to expose whether further irregularities took place during the selection process.

Discrepancies in answer sheet evaluation

The controversy centres on the evaluation of Paper 1 for the Planning Board position, which involved a total of 228 answer sheets. While the PSC had maintained in a previous meeting that questions 10 to 18 were left un-evaluated across all papers during the digital on-screen marking process, a preliminary investigation has revealed deeper anomalies. Bini J. Abraham, the Controller of Examinations acting as the internal vigilance officer, found that question number nine was also left unexamined in 177 of the answer sheets.

Following these findings, officials indicated that the currently published rank list is likely to undergo a complete overhaul after a thorough re-evaluation. The development has gained significant political traction as the candidate who secured the first rank and subsequent appointment from the disputed list is a prominent leader of a left-wing organisation. The upcoming interim report by the Vigilance SP is expected to determine the next course of action in the unfolding investigation.