From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jan 11: State Public Service Commission’s must adapt to the dynamic needs of governance, preparing for future challenges while remaining people-centric, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Addressing the 25th National Conference of Chairpersons of State Public Service Commissions, the Chief Minister said public service commissions are pillars of democracy, upholding meritocracy and fairness, and contributing immensely to governance.

He said training civil servants to lead with empathy and purpose is critical to addressing the evolving demands of governance, he emphasising the need to learn from the best practices of other states and leveraging advanced technologies like artificial intelligence will make recruitment more transparent and corruption-free.

“Inclusivity in recruitment is a cornerstone of Karnataka’s governance, ensuring opportunities for women, youth and marginalized communities,” he said pointing out that Karnataka has a rich history in public administration, starting with the Mysore Civil Services (MCS) examination initiated by Dewan Sir K Seshadri Iyer in 1892.

The Chief Minister said the State introduced reforms such as creating an independent Controller of Examinations demonstrate dedication to fair and unbiased recruitment processes.

The Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), established as a constitutional body in 1951, has significantly evolved, becoming a symbol of efficiency and transparency, he said explaining that the government brought in important reforms based on the recommendations of the P.C. Hota Committee to ensure a fair and transparent recruitment process.

“We have completely eliminated interviews for Group-C and even Group-B posts, reducing subjectivity and making the process more objective, while for Gazetted Probationers' exams, we have brought down interview marks to just 25, ensuring a more balanced evaluation,” he said mentioning that the recruitment patterns have been simplified to make the process fair, transparent, and easier to understand for everyone.

Priority for tackling paper leak menace

The Chief Minister said, “tackling challenges such as paper leaks remains a top priority. Implementing robust measures is crucial to ensure transparency and restore public trust.”

He also underscored that the rising unemployment demands swift recruitment processes with fairness. Timely result publication, as practiced by U.P.S.C., can serve as a model. Addressing the backlog of cases against Public Service Commission’s is vital for improving efficiency and reinforcing public confidence,” he added.