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Introduction

Allegations of corruption and procedural lapses in State PSCs strike at the credibility of merit-based recruitment. The issue compels a deeper examination of how structural weaknesses, opaque practices, and political pressures within PSCs undermine public trust and necessitate comprehensive institutional reform.

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Structural Challenges

• Politicised Appointments and Spoils System: SPSCs operate in politically osmotic environments where appointments often ignore merit, age, qualifications, and experience.
  Eg: Unlike UPSC’s apolitical composition, State PSCs shortcut conventional norms, enabling politically motivated selections.
• Absence of Dedicated Personnel Ministry: Most States lack a specialised ministry for manpower planning, delaying vacancy notifications and recruitment cycles.
  Eg: The Union created the Ministry of Personnel in 1985, enabling UPSC to conduct exams regularly, a structure missing in States.
• Irregular and Unplanned Manpower Needs: States often extend superannuation age or postpone recruitment due to financial constraints, derailing the exam calendar.
  Eg: Limited State finances prevent timely retirement and recruitment management, disrupting PSC schedules.

Procedural Challenges

• Outdated and Irregular Syllabus Revision: SPSCs seldom establish expert committees to update syllabi, unlike UPSC’s periodic reform mechanisms.
• Limited Access to Qualified Paper Setters and Evaluators: States are restricted to local academic pools, affecting quality, balance, and moderation of question papers.
  Eg: UPSC taps national-level talent, while SPSCs struggle to achieve inter-se moderation, leading to errors and litigation.
• Complex Reservation and Regional Quota Calculations: Incorporating vertical, horizontal, and zonal reservations creates high chances of error and disputes.

Key Reforms to Strengthen Public Trust

• Create a Dedicated State Ministry for Personnel Management: Institutional manpower planning and a five-year recruitment roadmap can stabilise exam cycles.
  Eg: Mirroring the Union’s Ministry of Personnel will help SPSCs notify vacancies regularly, as recommended in the article.
• Constitutional Amendment to Professionalise Appointments: Fix minimum (55) and maximum (65) age limits and stipulate qualifications for official and non-official members.
  Eg: The criteria like Secretary-level experience or 10 years in recognised professions to ensure credibility.
• Periodic Syllabus Revision with Public Consultation: Regular committees must update syllabi in line with UPSC standards and evolving academic needs.
• Improve Question Setting, Translation, and Moderation: Blend technology with human oversight for accurate translation, secrecy, and reduced subjectivity.
  Eg: Revising exam patterns frequently to counter AI-generated answer patterns and ensure accuracy.
• Appointment of Experienced Senior Officers as PSC Secretaries: A Secretary with educational administration background can supervise evaluation, confidentiality, and logistics more effectively.

Conclusion

Reforming State PSCs is vital for restoring institutional legitimacy, ensuring clean recruitment, and protecting the integrity of India’s administrative machinery. Transparent processes, stronger oversight, and technology-driven checks collectively uphold fairness, reinforce public confidence, and strengthen the foundations of accountable and inclusive governance.

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