Planning Board rank list rejig puts Kerala PSC in a tight spot

The Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) finds itself in a tight spot after a re-evaluation of the examination for the post of Chief (Industry and Infrastructure Division) in the Kerala State Planning Board led to a major reshuffle in the rank list.Shyam Krishnan, who was ranked third in the original list, secured the first rank in the revised list, while Arun J. Pratap, who had topped the original list, slipped to fifth place.The re-evaluation was conducted after Mr. Krishnan challenged the original rank list in the Kerala High Court. Meanwhile, Mr. Pratap, who secured the post following alleged irregularities in the examination, is likely to be removed from the position following the revision of the rank list. PSC officials declined to comment on the possibility of replacing the previously appointed candidate with the revised list’s first-rank holder, as the matter is sub judice.‘No procedural hurdles’However, senior officials maintained that the commission would not act in haste as a case relating to the appointment was pending before the High Court. It would wait for the court’s final decision before taking further action, they said. They also maintained that there were no procedural hurdles to removing a candidate appointed on the basis of an erroneous rank list resulting from a major valuation error.Former PSC chairman M.K. Sakeer said various provisions of the Kerala Public Service Commission Rules of Procedure empower the commission to remove a candidate appointed erroneously following a major error in the valuation process. However, the matter could lead to a prolonged legal battle if the candidate already appointed decided to challenge the decision in court, he said.Larger conspiracyMr. Krishnan had waged a year-long legal battle to expose the flaws in the original rank list. Earlier, the High Court had orally observed that there was a larger conspiracy behind the alleged irregularities in the evaluation process for the examination.In its petition, the commission had also stated that it had taken steps to rectify the errors identified in the rank list and the evaluation process. Separately, the PSC had filed a writ petition seeking to quash the government’s sanction to prosecute its employees and the FIR registered by the Crime Branch in connection with the alleged irregularities. Published - October 10, 2026 08:09 pm IST