The Kerala High Court on Monday, 5 October 2026, placed the state's Public Service Commission (PSC) under intense judicial scrutiny, questioning whether the failure to evaluate answers carrying 58 marks in a State Planning Board recruitment examination amounted to blatant corruption — and whether a dedicated mechanism should exist to probe alleged crimes within the constitutional recruitment body. The pointed observations came as the court heard the PSC's challenge to a Crime Branch investigation into the irregularities.

What the Court Said

The bench questioned how answers worth 58 marks could simply go unevaluated, calling the allegation extremely serious. It stressed that the PSC is the institution on which lakhs of job aspirants depend, and that its credibility — along with the hopes of the younger generation — must be protected at all costs. The court also questioned why PSC officials had failed to appear before the investigating team despite being served notices, observing that they carried a moral responsibility to cooperate. It warned that if absences continued, the government should consider stringent action.

Government Pushes Back on 'Clerical Error' Defence

The state government firmly opposed the PSC's contention that the evaluation lapse was a mere clerical or technical error. 'Leaving 58 marks unevaluated cannot be justified as a clerical mistake,' the government counsel argued in court. The government went further, contending that the lapse was the result of sophisticated manipulation that could not be explained away as an ordinary administrative oversight. It also informed the court that more than 150 complaints had been raised against the PSC, and that the PSC Chairman and members were not cooperating with the investigation.

The Examination at the Centre of the Controversy

The recruitment that triggered the controversy was conducted for three Chief-level posts in the Planning Board. The notification for the senior post was issued in 2022, and the examination was held in July 2023. A total of ten questions in the common first paper, collectively carrying 58 marks, were not evaluated — a lapse that affected all 228 candidates who appeared, according to investigators. Rank lists were subsequently published and appointments were made to two posts before the irregularity came to light.

Political Backdrop and PSC Composition

The controversy carries added political weight: the current PSC comprises a Chairman and 15 members, all appointed during the previous Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. The Planning Board recruitment that sparked the row was also initiated under that administration. Under the Constitution, the Chairman and members of a State PSC hold office for six years or until they attain the age of 62, whichever is earlier — meaning the current incumbents remain in position despite the change in political circumstances.

What the Crime Branch Is Examining

The Crime Branch is investigating whether the evaluation failure was a genuine oversight or a deliberate act intended to benefit particular candidates. The PSC has moved the High Court seeking to quash the criminal proceedings, maintaining that the lapse was inadvertent and challenging the government's prosecution sanction. The court's refusal to accept that framing at face value signals that the case is unlikely to be resolved without deeper accountability. How the court rules on the PSC's quashing petition will set a precedent for the limits of investigative jurisdiction over constitutional bodies in Kerala.