Thiruvananthapuram: Seventeen years ago, Anu S Nair topped the Kerala University assistant recruitment exam, only to be denied the job due to alleged irregularities. But today, he has achieved something far greater: an IAS title.

Anu, currently serving as assistant commissioner at the Thiruvananthapuram Land Revenue Commissionerate, is among five deputy collectors recently awarded IAS status.

The case dates back to 2008, when Kerala University conducted recruitment for assistant positions. Allegations soon emerged that candidates who hadn’t even taken the exam had made it to the rank list. Reports claimed that answer sheets were destroyed, marks were manipulated, and even the vice chancellor’s laptop—containing crucial records—was stolen. And despite securing a top rank, Anu was controversially left out.

Determined to fight the injustice, he led a legal battle. However, the case dragged on for years. The state crime branch eventually submitted a report to the Thiruvananthapuram vigilance court stating that the culprits behind the recruitment scam couldn’t be identified and that there was insufficient evidence to proceed. The case remains unresolved.

Despite the setback, Anu refused to give up. In 2014, he topped the PSC exam and was appointed deputy collector. Over the years, he served as additional district magistrate (ADM) in Pathanamthitta and as deputy collector for disaster management in Thiruvananthapuram. For the past four and a half years, he has been working as assistant commissioner at the Land Revenue Commissionerate.

Five officers awarded IAS

Along with Anu, four other revenue department officers have been awarded IAS status through a presidential notification: K Hima, deputy collector, Kozhikode; Sabin Sameed, assistant commissioner, Land Revenue Commissionerate, Thiruvananthapuram; J O Arun, deputy collector overseeing land acquisition for national highways and the Mundakkai–Chooralmala rehabilitation project, Malappuram; M C Rejil, RDO, Irinjalakuda.
The state government is expected to formally appoint them soon.