For many Indian youth, the post of Police Sub-Inspector is a coveted post. The scope for manipulation through corruption and political influence in the recruitment process is high. The officer in charge of recruitment comes under enormous pressure from current and former MLAs, ministers, chief ministers and even friends and relatives. Resisting the pressure at the risk of one’s career is the name of the game.
A large number of support staff are involved in the processes associated with PSI recruitment – Physical Efficiency Test (PET), Physical Standard Test (PST), Written Test and Personal Interview. Even one mistake can tarnish the whole process. Ensuring confidentiality of question papers, storing them safely and carrying them to different centers is to be handled without giving room for question paper leaks.
‘Coaching Shops’
“Coaching shops” attract many desperate candidates. Huge amount of money is collected with the false promise of sharing the genuine question papers in advance. There is no dearth of brokers and agents who promise to provide jobs at affordable prices to the gullible aspirants.
The technology was introduced by Karnataka Police more than 15 years back to make recruitment transparent and scam-free. Among others, CCTV coverage was ensured during PST, PET and written examination. Objective type papers will be scanned along with OMR sheets, eliminating human intervention and malpractices in the evaluation. Impersonators and fraudsters were quickly identified, criminally prosecuted, and potential scams ruled out. However, the scam currently under investigation suggests that fraudsters have learned to spot loopholes in systems, although the technology has become more sophisticated today.
What is the way forward? Several corrections are the need of the hour to ensure a fair process. The government should appoint an impeccable integrity and competent officer for key recruitment. He should be provided with adequate human resources, technical support and budget along with a strong team to handle the litigation. The head of government and department should fully support them in resisting influence and political pressure, utopian however it may seem in the current environment.
political will
It is time the government demonstrated political will to enact a strict and comprehensive law criminalizing recruitment malpractices and scams. This law should define the various acts of omission and commission associated with it. Acts like copying, leaking question papers and spreading rumours should be declared an offence.
The law should have penal provisions for dealing with touts, persons running “tutorial shops”, erring supervisors and government employees. This should include provisions to deprive delinquent candidates from applying for government service for certain years or even permanently. A database of all such offenses and attempts to commit offences should be maintained.
The Head of Recruiting should also institutionalize best practices such as workshops and training programs for in-house personnel involved in the recruitment process as well as supervisors drawn from other departments. The selection of examination centers should be done with due diligence and keeping the habit of criminals under watch. Once these reforms are implemented, they should be continued with further improvements year after year. It will be sad if after the present scandal the slackness and decency fade from the memory of the public.
Governance involves an effective system led by an able leader. Even if one of these fails, the result can be disastrous.
(The writer is former Director General and Inspector General of Police, Karnataka)