Favouritism alleged in Kerala PSC’s Dy.SP rank list

The PSC headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram.

Allegations of favouritism and procedural irregularities have surfaced in the Kerala Public Service Commission’s (PSC) recruitment process for Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy.SP).

The Save University Campaign Committee (SUCC) has alleged that a candidate, who reportedly failed to secure a place in the main rank list for police constable recruitment, has topped the PSC list for Dy.SP (Trainee) special recruitment for Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe.

The organisation has petitioned the Chief Minister and the Home Minister to institute a comprehensive inquiry into the recruitment process and to withhold the candidate’s appointment and entry into police training, pending the inquiry.

In the complaint, SUCC chairperson R.S. Sasikumar alleged that the candidate, Jithin K.J., a former Students’ Federation of India (SFI) leader, secured the first rank despite competing against candidates with higher academic qualifications and serving government employees, including sub-inspectors, university assistants, High Court assistants, and government auditors.

He asked how the candidate, who reportedly holds a BCom degree, managed to outperform candidates with “higher qualifications and professional experience”. The complaint also raises concerns over criminal cases allegedly registered against Mr. Jithin, including incidents involving assaults on college Principals in Ernakulam and drunk driving.

According to the representation, the PSC invited applications for the Dy.SP post in September 2025, which attracted applications from nearly 17,000 people. The written examination was conducted on December 25, followed by the physical efficiency test on March 26, 2026. The interviews for 35 shortlisted candidates were completed on April 26, and the final rank list was published on May 6.

Although the PSC has reportedly issued an advice memo to Mr. Jithin, he has yet to receive clearance to join police training, according to the committee.

The controversy is significant since direct recruitment to the Dy.SP cadre is said to be taking place for the first time since 1983, when K. Karunakaran was Chief Minister. The post is considered an entry point into the senior leadership structure of the State police.