KPSC suspects cheating in recruitment test

Casting a shadow over the credibility of public service recruitment in Kerala, three SFI local leaders were suspected to have attained the higher ranks in a police recruitment test through malpractice.

The three were suspected to have used mobile phone SMS to get answers during the examination. The Kerala Public Services Commission (KPSC) have sought a detailed police probe into the matter.

The fresh developments cause major embarrassment to the ruling left-front government in Kerala, especially Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, as he earlier alleged of attempts to sabotage the credibility of the public service recruitment process when media reports of the suspected malpractice by SFI activists came.

It was following the stabbing of a student of the University College in Thiruvananthapuram last month by SFI activists that the row over the credibility of the public service recruitment surfaced.

The key accused in the stabbing case, SFI local leader R Sivaranjith, was the first rank holder in the police constable recruitment test conducted by the Kerala Public Service Commission. The second accused in the case, A N Naseem, got 28th rank. The second rank holder P P Pranav was also said to be an SFI activist of the University College. They were also found to be allowed a change in their examination centre by the KPSC. Strengthening the suspicions, the accused were also found to have scored only very poor marks in the university examinations.

The PSC vigilance wing that conducted a preliminary probe into the allegations found with the help of police cyber cell that the said candidates received scores of SMS messages on their phones at the time of the examination. Hence it was suspected that they got correct answers through SMS.

Based on a report of the vigilance wing that the candidates were suspected to have used modern technology for malpractice in the examination, the PSC has sought a detailed police probe to bring before the law all those who were involved in the serious malpractice. The three candidates would be also removed from the rank list, said the commission official spokesperson.

The Opposition party in Kerala, Congress-led United Democratic Front, demanded a CBI probe into the incident.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala accused that the Chief Minister lost his credibility with the findings of the KPSC vigilance wing that there was malpractice in the police recruitment test. Hence a probe by the state police would not bring out the truth and hence a CBI probe was required, he demanded.