Govt, KPSC diverge over Asha Parveen

Commission cites 'convenient' CID findings to defend her appointment

The Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) has filed an affidavit before the High Court of Karnataka, stating that there were no irregularities in the recruitment of KAS officer Asha Parveen. The KPSC has defended the selection of Parveen in the affidavit.

While KPSC is quick to cite the findings of the CID (which probed the charges) that support its explanation, it trashes the ones exposing violations by it.

The move came on September 18, a day after the government relieved the officer from service over the recruitment scam in 1998, and this exposes the differences between the government and the KPSC.

Replying to several allegations by the petitioners, Khaleel Ahmed, V Raghu and Suresh Kumar, KPSC defended itself over almost all the allegations.

The petitioners have said that Parveen was appointed despite the fact that her name was not in the list of 50 candidates selected for the personality test under ‘2B’ category. But KPSC claims that the CID has said that the allegation is not proved and that its (KPSC’s) explanation is found to be correct. 

In its reply to the allegations of category manipulation, KPSC has denied the allegations as well as the findings of the CID, which had pointed out certain violations in the cases of Asha Parveen and Shantala. The CID, which has submitted a report on the scam, has found Parveen guilty of submitting a bogus 2B certificate.

“The violation pointed out in respect of the two candidates is not correct. While drawing the 1:5 list for personality test, Asha Parveen was considered under general merit and the same is in order,” KPSC says in its affidavit.

The government’s September 17 order says, “the government, using provisions under Rule-6 of the KPSC (Probation) Rules, 1977, has ‘discharged’ Parveen from government service with immediate effect.”

In Shantala’s case, who was considered under the ex- servicemen category, KPSC admits it was a mistake. It adds, “Shantala was considered under the SC category. However, while issuing the call letter, by oversight she was informed as being candidate under cat-I/X-MP (ex-service). The mistake came to be known at the time of personality test and she was considered under SC category in conformity with the rules.”

Scaling and moderation

The KPSC has admitted that it has violated the High Court order in connection with allegations of manipulation of marks which resulted in tilting of results in favour of a few candidates. It has also promised to re-draw the merit list after proper scrutiny.

Accordingly, the CID had found that KPSC had taken into consideration the marks awarded by the head/chief examiners at the time of scaling.

“The KPSC has taken the annulled marks (awarded by head/chief examiners), which is a violation of the High Court order. This wrong step has resulted in tilting of marks and untimely results. It is a serious violation of the court order - a serious lapse,” says the CID finding.

Admitting to it, the KPSC says, “This finding is correct.” It further says that it is redoing the exercise of moderation and scaling, to find out facts.

It says that it has found nine scripts in four subjects, which should be subjected to third evaluation considering the High Court directions dated October 11, 2002 and the process will be completed by September 30, 2013.

“This will be followed by the preparation of the merit list. If any candidate comes within eligibility range, then personality test will be arranged for such candidates. Based on the outcome, merit list needs to be redrawn along with the final list,” the commission has told the court.