(Representative image)The credibility of the Public Services Commission (PSC) will be affected if this institution, tasked with giving the millions of unemployed in the state a path to government jobs, forgets its responsibilities and goes after controversies. Controversies of the type that happen in the state's universities should not be allowed to take place in the commission. Such acts should be stopped immediately, whoever is responsible. The small frictions relating to the appointment of a secretary to the PSC should not be allowed to be blown out of proportion to a level that affects the functioning of the commission itself.
There are clearly laid down guidelines to appoint a secretary to the PSC. The decision to appoint Saju George as secretary was made within these guidelines, and the state government had recommended his name for the post. But the governor returned the government's suggestion, asking for more details on a complaint that was received. A decision on the secretary's appointment will be made only once the government gives more details on this issue to the governor.
Complaints have been raised even earlier about appointments to the PSC secretary's post. Most of these were personal, with the aim of removing one obstacle from someone's path. It is not that complaints should not be looked into; rather an impartial enquiry should be conducted and a decision made. But here the PSC could not make a decision on the issue despite meeting two times. More important, many important issues were not considered by the commission because of the controversy.
Earlier, such decisions were taken by the commission members collectively. The commission chairman and members are considered equals. The chairman is only a first among equals, and does not hold any other powers beyond that. He should not try to force his personal interests on the commission and cannot overrule the commission's decisions.
I took over as PSC chairman in 2006. I was the commission member for five years before that. The LDF had appointed me; I was the chairman when the UDF ruled too. Although most of the commission members were UDF nominees, there were no controversies during commission meetings at that time, either over party politics or any other interests. While differences did crop up, after the commission made a decision, both right and left wing members supported it in unison. Things go out of control when personal interests are tried to be imposed on the commission.
PSC's main task is to select the right candidates for government jobs. Commission members should not forget that when the create controversies and then spend valuable time to supposedly resolve them, it is the millions of unemployed people who pay the price. Complaints exist that the PSC's work has slowed down due to the controversy over the secretary's appointment as well as issues related to that. PSC members need to set aside party considerations and come together to make a decision to end this controversial issue and raise the image of the commission in public.
It is the credibility that this institution enjoys in society that has led to demands to entrust all appointments including those in universities to it. Members should realize that such controversies will only help pull the commission down from those rarefied heights. The primary consideration of the PSC chairman and members should be in safeguarding the credibility of the commission.
(The writer is a former chairman of the State Public Service Commission)
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