21-year test ends for KPSC's unfortunate 16

On April 4 this year, Sreenivasa S learnt that he had been selected as Chief Officer, Directorate of Municipal Administration. But instead of joy, there was disbelief on Sreenivasa’s face. And it is understandable, considering that he had written the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) exam for gazetted probationers in 1998, almost 21 years ago.

Sreenivasa, who was 29 when he sat for the exam, was among the 28 people who qualified in the exams (prelims, mains and interview) held between 1998 and 2000. But nothing came of his effort, thanks to a recruitment scam involving unscrupulous officials. His run of misfortune lasting two decades only ended in April 2019, when he and 16 others accepted their appointment orders.

Speaking to DH, he recalled that when his name featured in the list — which was revised multiple times due to several HC and SC rulings — he was running his own firm and was left shocked.

“After all, it was the result of an exam (mains) I had written sixteen years ago. I was 29 when the exams were held. Imagine knowing the results when you are 45 or 46,” he said.

What transpired during these years was a prolonged legal battle by those candidates who suspected wrong-doing in the mains exam.

"There were several, including one Khaleel Ahmed who had petitioned against the first list published in 2002, after a delay. Though they had pursued the case for a while, I and a few others decided to approach courts only when our names came up in 2014,” he said.

Another candidate, Girish O, who has been appointed Chief Auditor in the Cooperative Audit Department, was working with the Fisheries Department when he learnt that he too was among the selected. “We had lost expectations in 2006 itself. But when the 2014 list was released, we felt that there was some justice after all,” he said.

Of the 28 people who finally qualified, one person died of depression. Ex-serviceman Rajaram Rao had attained retirement age and 10 others refused the appointment orders due to various reasons. Most of the 16 persons issued appointment orders on April 4 were either currently being trained or have been deputed in various departments.

Apart from retrospective seniority, the candidates, 80% of whom are above 60, are now mulling legal recourse seeking relief from the government for the injustice meted to them.

“What we have gone through is in the past. We just hope that the future batch of candidates who appear for KPSC gazetted probationers exams will not have to suffer what we endured,” Sreenivasa added.