Allegations rise over Kerala govt settling score with job aspirants

Kerala government's decision not to extend the validity of the 493 rank lists of Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) despite the hue and cry of job aspirants has triggered allegations that the Pinarayi Vijayan government is settling scores with job aspirants who put the previous left-front government in a tight spot by staging an indefinite stir just ahead of the Assembly election.

While Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan maintained that the validity of the ranks lists could be extended beyond three years only in exceptional circumstances, a former chairman of KPSC told DH that the pandemic and calamities were adequate reasons for extending the validity of rank lists.

The indefinite stir by KPSC rank holders just ahead of the Assembly elections earlier this year had put the Vijayan government in a tight spot as the candidates resorted to various modes of protest ranging from crawling on the hot tar roads and tonsuring heads. The over one-month-long stir was called off following a host of assurances from the government. But even as the Vijayan government retained power in the elections, most key assurances still remain on paper only.

The hopes of around three lakh candidates in the rank lists were dashed as the government now decided not to give further extension to 493 rank lists expiring on August 4 even as fresh rank lists were yet to be prepared.

Many candidates are on the brink of upper age limits for appearing for KPSC exams and hence curtains will be drawn permanently on their government job aspirations. The job aspirants have again relaunched the protest and a section staged a demonstration by cutting hair in front of the government secretariat.

As the Opposition party Congress raised the issue in the Assembly on Monday, the Chief Minister said that the norms permit extending KPSC rank lists' validity beyond three years only in circumstances like recruitment freeze or exceptional situations where reporting of vacancies were affected.

However, the former chairman of KPSC K S Radhakrishnan said that the pandemic and calamities were adequate reasons for extending the validity of ranks lists beyond three years. There were instances in which the validity of PSC rank lists was extended for more than four years. Moreover, a fresh rank list should have been prepared by the time the existing one gets expired, he pointed out.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan alleged that the government was taking a vindictive stand against the job aspirants for the protest they staged earlier. He said that reporting of vacancies were hit due to the calamities and lockdowns and hence there was genuine grounds to extend the lists. He said that not even 40 per cent of the rank holders got placement.

The Opposition also staged a walkout from the house after permission for an adjournment motion on the matter was rejected.

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