KPSC ripped in Karnataka Assembly: Rates fixed for posts, says Ashoka

Bengaluru: The Opposition BJP on Tuesday demanded an overhaul of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) with Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka tearing apart the Constitutional recruitment body for corruption and irregularities, which he said is causing injustice to Kannadigas.

Ashoka was speaking in the Assembly where he moved an adjournment motion on the state-of-affairs in KPSC, including errors in Kannada question papers for the KAS recruitment exam.

“There’s daylight robbery happening in KPSC. There’s a rate card fixed for various posts - Rs 2 crore for an assistant commissioner and a deputy superintendent of police, Rs 1.5 crore for a commercial tax inspector and Rs 1 crore for a tahsildar,” Ashoka said.

Armed with documents, Ashoka explained how irregularities occurred in the recruitment of 24 assistant executive engineers at the rural water supply department through KPSC.

“There were 100 questions. One candidate was asked to answer 11 of them. Another had to attempt 16. The remaining answers were filled up later in rooms that didn’t have surveillance cameras,” Ashoka said. He also said there were irregularities in the recruitment of commercial tax inspectors. "One candidate came first with 166 marks. The same guy, two months before, scored just 11 marks in a clerical exam. He became a genius in two months," he said.

Ashoka then trained his guns at the KPSC for translation errors in Kannada question papers in the gazetted probationers’ exams, which he said had affected over two lakh candidates.

“There were errors in 59 questions. How could candidates answer them? There were protests. The CM tweeted to say that a re-exam would be held. In the second exam, there were 79 mistakes!” Ashoka said, slamming KPSC for being “unfit” to hold exams properly.

Ashoka said he was jobless for two years after completing his science degree. “I used to be introduced as ‘Ashoka, unemployed’. Now, imagine the plight of two lakh candidates who are unemployed,” he said.

The government gave KPSC Rs 15 crore for the first exam and another Rs 15 crore for the second one. "This money must be recovered from the concerned official who must be suspended," he said.

Intervening, IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge said reforming the KPSC was discussed in the Cabinet. "If we don't, then we'll be cheating our own people," he said.

Law Minister HK Patil said the government would reply to this "serious issue" on Wednesday.