Bengaluru, Jul 31 (PTI) The Karnataka government on Friday constituted a committee headed by former Chief Secretary S V Ranganath to recommend reforms in the state’s competitive examination and recruitment process, as Chief Minister D K Shivakumar directed officials to ensure complete transparency in the recruitment of over 70,000 posts and warned of strict action against any examination malpractice.
The Competitive Examinations and Recruitment Reform Committee will study the existing competitive examination and recruitment system and suggest reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, efficiency and credibility in the selection process, according to an official statement.
Besides Ranganath, the panel comprises former Chief Secretaries T M Vijay Bhaskar, Vandita Sharma and L K Atheeq.
Chairing a high-level meeting at Vidhana Soudha to review preparations for the upcoming recruitment examinations, Shivakumar said the state was undertaking the massive exercise of filling more than 70,000 vacancies and should make the recruitment process a model for the country.
“There should be no scope for any examination malpractice. Karnataka should set an example for the nation in conducting transparent recruitment,” he said, while asking officials to leverage the state’s technological capabilities to ensure a professional and credible examination process.
According to the government, the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) and the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) have scheduled examinations over the next six months to fill 36,773 posts, with around 35 lakh candidates expected to appear.
The chief minister directed officials to strictly adhere to the guidelines prepared for the examinations and suggested adopting best practices followed by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) wherever required.
Emphasising accountability, Shivakumar said Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and senior Education Department officials would be personally responsible for ensuring fair conduct of examinations in their respective districts.
He instructed that every stage of the examination process be video-recorded, prohibit officials and staff engaged in the process from carrying mobile phones, and called for strict vigilance to prevent educational institutions or their managements from indulging in any malpractice.
The CM also directed police chiefs to keep all coaching centres under close surveillance and warned that senior district-level officers would be held accountable if any irregularities or examination fraud came to light.
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Priyank Kharge, Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and other senior government officials.
The state witnessed a series of irregularities in the recruitment process conducted by the KPSC.
The KPSC has been in turmoil following Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot suspending its Chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar on July 13, following allegations that he allegedly facilitated the illegal selection of his two daughters as Industrial Extension Officers.
Large scale irregularities have been alleged in the recruitment of veterinary doctors and the matter has reached the High Court of Karnataka. PTI GMS SA
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