Karnataka govt forms search panel to pick PSC chief and members

Bengaluru: The state government has constituted a search committee headed by the chief secretary to find the right people to occupy positions at the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), the recruitment body notorious for irregularities.

The formation of a search committee to ensure that "honest" people are appointed to the KPSC as its chairperson or members was a promise Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made to the Assembly during the budget session of the legislature in March.

Also, setting up a search committee was among the recommendations made by the PC Hota Committee, whose 2004 report focussed on civil service reforms.

The search committee will have as members: an IAS officer who retired as additional chief secretary or a former union government secretary; former or present director at IIM, IISc or IIT and an IAS officer who retired as secretary, joint secretary or a Group-A officer of the union government. The secretary of the department of personnel & administrative reforms (DPAR) will be the member-secretary of the search committee.

According to an order, the search committee should recommend the appointment of people with "integrity, fairness and a track record of intellectual capability" for the posts of KPSC chairperson and members.

In the order, the government has asked the search committee to start looking for suitable candidates three months before the term of the incumbent chairperson or member ends. Wherever necessary, the committee can invite applicants for a personal discussion as part of the evaluation.

The committee is required to shortlist two names for each position, including that of the chairperson, along with justification, and send them to the chief minister. From this shortlist, the government will select one name for each post and send them to the governor.

Last month, the state government issued a notification reducing the number of KPSC members from 15 to seven. This, too, was a promise Siddaramaiah made in the Assembly.