Thiruvananthapuram: Serious anomalies in Kerala PSC examinations, particularly the alleged manipulation of answer-paper valuation in a State Planning Board recruitment examination, had triggered protests and a subsequent Crime Branch investigation. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case has now told the Kerala Public Service Commission that its members must appear for interrogation and that PSC protocol cannot be cited to avoid questioning.
The SIT has informed the Kerala PSC that its members have no other option but to appear before the Crime Branch for interrogation. It has made it clear that the PSC protocol is not applicable to the SIT investigation and that there will be no compromise in this regard.
Earlier, the PSC Secretary had informed the SIT that PSC members would not appear before the Crime Branch for interrogation, citing the protocol applicable to the Commission.
The SIT rejected this position in a letter stating that PSC members must appear for interrogation. The reply was sent by IG Ajeetha Begum IPS, who heads the Special Investigation Team.
Meanwhile, the PSC has still not taken a final decision on the SIT’s demand. The Commission has reportedly decided to take a stand after obtaining legal advice.
The controversy relates to serious irregularities reported in the valuation of KPSC answer papers in a 2023 recruitment examination for senior posts in the State Planning Board. Ten questions carrying a total of 58 marks were reportedly left unevaluated in the answer sheets of all 228 candidates.
The anomaly came to light when a candidate obtained his answer paper and found that only 18 of the 28 questions had been evaluated. The issue subsequently led to demands for an investigation into the examination and the valuation process.
The examination was held for three State Planning Board posts — Chief (Industry and Infrastructure), Chief (Perspective Planning Division) and Chief (Plan Co-ordination Division).
The irregularity assumed significance because the candidate who secured the first rank had skipped four questions and written wrong answers to six questions. The questions were allegedly ‘removed’ by the valuer. This resulted in candidates who had answered those questions correctly receiving no marks for them.
The SIT is investigating whether the irregularities were deliberate and whether senior PSC officials and others were involved in manipulating the valuation process. Political influence and bribery have also been suspected in connection with the case.
In July 2026, the Kerala Home Department officially transferred the investigation into suspected examination malpractices from a planned Vigilance inquiry to the Crime Branch. Following the directive, State Police Chief Ravada A. Chandrasekhar IPS, Director General of Police, constituted a specialised three-member SIT headed by Ajeetha Begum IPS, IG of the Crime Branch Economic Offences Wing (EOW).
The controversy comes against the backdrop of longstanding complaints by PSC candidates over alleged anomalies in examinations and recruitment. Jobseekers have repeatedly blamed the political leadership for failing to exercise adequate control over PSC officials.
The latest dispute over interrogation has brought the PSC itself under scrutiny, as the SIT seeks to question its members as part of the investigation into the alleged examination irregularities.
