T’puram: Save University Campaign Committee (SUCC) has urged the state govt to ensure that only qualified persons are appointed as members of the state public service commission (PSC). As many as five vacancies are currently open in the PSC.The LDF govt had courted controversy after introducing a massive pay hike and pension benefits to PSC members appointed on political basis, rather than academic merit or excellence in any field, SUCC said. The governor had recently refused to endorse the LDF govt’s recommendation to appoint two members, following complaints that they were not competent to hold the post.In a memorandum to chief minister V D Satheesan, SUCC said only highly qualified persons with significant experience should be appointed as PSC members and urged the CM to carry out necessary amendments in the PSC Act to ensure the same. The committee also asked the CM to review the former govt’s decision to grant hefty pension to PSC members for their service for a few years. It said the commission members should be those who possess academic excellence on par with the qualification of vice-chancellors.Just before the assembly elections, the LDF govt had recommended appointment of two persons as PSC members but failed to get the governor’s clearance.The first cabinet meeting of the UDF govt decided to withdraw the said recommendations. Ajayakumar, private secretary of a former CPI minister, and Shihabudheen, a leader of Congress (S) were the nominees recommended by LDF.The number of member vacancies became five when three more persons — CPM representative PSC member Jose D’Cruz, Kerala Congress representative Mini Zachariah, and CPI’s Vijayakumaran Nair — retired in May. In the 21-member PSC, there are currently 16 persons, including chairman M R Baiju, who is also a CPM teachers’ organization leader.
