Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar B. Khandre has urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to abolish the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), alleging that the commission has repeatedly failed to conduct recruitment examinations without irregularities. Khandre said he had submitted a request to the Chief Minister on the issue.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Sunday, Khandre said serious allegations of examination malpractice against the KPSC had existed since 1998. He said the commission, as an autonomous institution, was responsible for conducting recruitment to various government departments transparently, but had repeatedly failed to fulfil that responsibility.
The minister proposed two possible alternatives. The KPSC could be restructured on the model of the Union Public Service Commission, or the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) could be given responsibility for all government recruitment examinations, he said.
Khandre’s comments come as the state government investigates alleged irregularities in the recruitment of veterinary officers. He said the investigation was being conducted transparently and that anyone found guilty would be punished, regardless of their influence.
“Candidates who study hard and prepare for examinations for years should not face injustice,” Khandre said, adding that the government would examine whether the KEA could also be given the responsibilities currently handled by the KPSC.
The KPSC is an autonomous constitutional body responsible for advising the state government on recruitment to public services and conducting examinations for various posts. Any decision to abolish, restructure or redistribute its responsibilities would therefore affect the institutional framework through which Karnataka recruits personnel for government departments.
Khandre’s statement does not itself alter the KPSC’s legal status or transfer its functions to the KEA. Such a change would require a formal decision by the state government and compliance with the applicable constitutional and legal framework. The minister did not announce a timeline for the proposed review or specify the structure of a replacement institution.
The immediate issue before the government is the investigation into alleged irregularities in veterinary officer recruitment. Khandre said action would be taken against those found responsible. The government’s next steps on the minister’s request to the Chief Minister, including whether to pursue restructuring or assign additional recruitment responsibilities to the KEA, remain pending.
