CH NEWS, BENGALURU
A fresh recruitment storm has hit the Karnataka Public Service Commission, exposing a web of corruption that threatens to shake public trust in civil service exams. Investigators have uncovered deep financial irregularities in the 2023 recruitment process for Assistant Executive Engineer posts within the Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department. Sources reveal that lucrative backroom deals worth between two crore and five crore rupees were negotiated to secure a single engineering position.
The shocking malpractice centered on the manipulation of optical mark recognition sheets used during the written tests. Instead of relying on merit, corrupt actors allegedly altered candidate responses after the exams concluded to guarantee high scores for those who paid massive bribes. A detailed Forensic Science Laboratory report has officially verified these alterations. Scientific analysis confirms that at least ten out of twenty-four shortlisted candidates actively participated in this elaborate cheating scheme.
Despite internal findings, administrative action faced severe delays and alleged cover-ups. An initial internal inquiry was led by the former commission secretary, Latha Kumari, followed by a specialized sub-committee headed by Vijay Kumar. Scrutiny of documents sent directly to forensic experts confirmed widespread tampering. Critics and watchdog groups have raised serious concerns that high-ranking officials within both the state government and the commission may have turned a blind eye or actively shielded the culprits.
Even after evidence of fraud surfaced, authorities reportedly pushed forward by publishing a provisional selection list and handing out official postings to tainted candidates. This latest revelation has triggered widespread outrage among unemployed youth and civil service aspirants who demand a transparent, independent judicial probe to root out systemic corruption. As pressure mounts on the administration, public scrutiny intensifies over how such multi-crore scams continue to plague public sector hiring processes across the state.
