‘Kerala PSC favoured ex-SFI leader with rank 1 in DySP recruitment’

Thiruvananthapuram: A complaint has alleged that the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) improperly awarded the first rank in its special recruitment for Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) to former SFI leader K.J. Jithin, despite his alleged failure to secure a place in the main rank list for police battalion constable recruitment.

The Save University Campaign Committee has lodged complaints with the Chief Minister and the Home Minister, demanding that Jithin's training approval and appointment order be withheld.

The complaint alleges that Jithin was favoured over highly qualified candidates who were serving as Sub-Inspectors, University Assistants, High Court Assistants, and government auditors. It also claims that several FIRs have been registered against him in connection with alleged criminal offences, including assaults on college principals in Ernakulam district and drunk driving.

The special recruitment process began in September 2025, when applications were invited from around 17,000 candidates. The written examination was held on December 25, followed by the physical test on March 26, 2026. Interviews for 35 candidates were completed on April 26, and the final rank list was published on May 6.

The committee has alleged that candidates who scored higher marks in the written examination were pushed down the rankings through irregularly high marks awarded during the interview. It has specifically questioned the interview process, which was attended by PSC Chairman M.R. Baiju.

The allegations have not been independently established.