Can’t re-hold KPSC exam without court order, Siddaramaiah tells assembly

Responding to concerns o'er irregularities in the mysore Public serve direction (KPSC) examinations, chief government minister on Wednesday informed the state legislative assembly that the re-examination for Karnataka Civil Services-2023-24 cannot be conducted unless the court gives any such instruction.“We cannot let this matter slide. If mistakes have been made, those responsible must be held accountable. KPSC must restore its credibility and function with integrity,” Siddaramaiah said while referring to the recent lapses, particularly in the Kannada translation of the KPSC question papers.While accusing the previous governments of failing to implement necessary reforms, he emphasised that his administration was committed to cleaning up the system. “KPSC has a history of controversies and court cases. We cannot have a system where question papers are repeatedly mistranslated and recruitment is marred by corruption. There is no doubt—corruption must be eliminated from KPSC,” he stated. Addressing demands for a re-examination, the chief minister clarified that the government could not make such a decision unilaterally as the matter was sub judice. “At this stage, it is not possible to order a re-exam, as the case is before the court. If the judiciary directs us to conduct a re-exam, we will comply. If not, we will hold an all-party meeting to discuss the next steps,” he explained. The opposition, led by BJP leader R Ashoka, accused the KPSC of deep-rooted corruption and mismanagement. “KPSC has become a diseased institution where recruitment rates are fixed. In the latest Gazette Probationers exam, incorrect Kannada translations have caused confusion. Those responsible must face strict action, and the ₹30 crore loss due to these errors must be recovered from those at fault,” he said. Siddaramaiah acknowledged the concerns and reiterated that the government was committed to long-term reforms. “Our goal is to ensure that the selection process is free of corruption. We want competent and honest officers to enter the state administrative services. During the reign of the Mysore kings, the Mysore Civil Service was one of the most prestigious in the country. We must bring back that legacy,” he said. He also pointed out the disparity in KPSC’s functioning compared to other states. “In Uttar Pradesh, which has a population of 25 crore (250 million), there are only eight members in the public service commission. But in Karnataka, with a population of 6.5 crore (65 million), we have 16 members. The previous Bommai government increased the number of KPSC members. We need to review this structure and take corrective measures,” he remarked. To prevent future translation errors,the CM said: “From now on, we will first prepare the question papers in Kannada and then translate them into English, rather than the other way around. Those responsible for translation errors will be blacklisted, and disciplinary action will be taken against them.”The chief minister also said that the Congress will be elected to power again and he would continue to hold the CM post for another five years.He was replying to the opposition BJP members in the assembly who had trooped into the well of the House, alleging disrespect for the MLAs and the MLCs, as the government had appointed Congress workers as the guarantee committee chairpersons and members.“We will not go. We will win again. You cannot win (election). There is no second view about it,” Siddaramaiah said.With inputs from PTI