Vinod M Jain
Preparations Underway for Transparent, Malpractice-Free Exams;Training for Exam Staff.
Do Not Pay Heed to False Rumours:CM Appeals to Candidates.
Warning to Private Aided Educational Institutions Allowing Malpractices.
Two Invigilators to Be Appointed in Examination Halls for the First Time.
CM Appreciates Examination Reform Measures :
Bengaluru, November 12:
With the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) set to hold the preliminary examination for 319 Gazetted Probationer posts across the state on Sunday, November 15,Chief Minister D.K.Shivakumar issued strict instructions to Deputy Commissioners to train all examination staff on the lines of election duty and submit a compliance report.
On Thursday,the Chief Minister reviewed the exam preparations via a video conference with Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police from the Home Office,Krishna’.
Preparations Underway for Transparent :
Malpractice-Free Exams;Training for Exam Staff
After taking stock of the preparations from officials,the CM directed that the examination be conducted with utmost transparency, leaving no room for malpractice.
“We have undertaken several reforms in the examination process,”he said,instructing Deputy Commissioners to strictly enforce the guidelines issued by the KPSC.
Continuous surveillance must be maintained through CCTV cameras at all examination centres.
He instructed the Police Department to put in place robust security arrangements similar to those used during police recruitment exams.
No unauthorised person will be permitted inside examination centre premises,and even authorised personnel must undergo security checks.Individuals may carry only items permitted under the guidelines.
The CM also instructed officials to assess the sensitivity of each examination centre and deploy staff accordingly.
Additional security equipment may be procured on a rental basis, and extra police personnel should be mobilised from other locations if needed.
He strictly warned that candidates must not enter examination centres with mobile phones under any circumstances,adding that senior officials themselves will be held accountable for any lapses.
Two Invigilators to Be Appointed in Examination Halls for the First Time :
For the first time,two invigilators are being deployed in every examination hall,and the CM mandated that at least one of them must be from a government college.
This dual-invigilator system is intended to conduct secondary checks after candidates enter the hall and to maintain strict vigil throughout the exam.
He also directed officials to take firm measures to prevent impersonators from appearing for the exam.
Warning to Private Aided Educational Institutions Allowing Malpractices :
The CM warned that if examination centres housed in private aided colleges are found to have facilitated malpractice,the recognition of such institutions will be cancelled.
He further stated that stringent legal action will be initiated against anyone indulging in examination malpractices.
Do Not Pay Heed to False Rumours:CM Appeals to Candidates :
Stressing that there must be zero tolerance for the spread of fake news regarding the exam,the CM directed the Police Department to actively monitor social media. If any rumour surfaces,it must be immediately flagged to officials so that an official clarification can be issued.
He emphasised that it is vital for both candidates and the media to verify information through official sources, and urged candidates to appear for the exam with confidence without paying heed to rumours.
Reform Measures to Curb Malpractices :
Briefing the meeting on exam readiness,KPSC Controller of Examinations H.Prasanna outlined several first-of-their-kind reform measures being rolled out to prevent malpractice:
• 5-Option OMR System: If a candidate does not know the answer to a question, they must mandatorily darken the fifth bubble (Option 5).No question may be left blank.
• Triple-Copy OMR Sheet:To ensure transparency, the OMR sheet will have three copies—one for the candidate, one for KPSC evaluation, and a third to be kept securely in the Deputy Commissioner/KPSC strong room.
• Installation of CCTV and Jammers:CCTV cameras and mobile jammers are being installed in all examination halls. Superintendents of Police have been instructed to personally certify that the jammers are functioning properly.
• Two Invigilators per Hall:Two invigilators will be stationed in each room to verify ID cards,carry out frisking and checks,and monitor candidates from the rear of the hall.
• Same-Day OMR Upload: In a move toward greater transparency, scanned copies of all OMR sheets will be uploaded to the KPSC website for public viewing on the very day of the exam. Arrangements have been made to scan OMR sheets across 12 districts.
For upcoming examinations,the CM directed the Department of e-Governance to implement an Aadhaar-based identity verification system at exam centres to weed out impersonators.
He also instructed officials to establish OMR scanning centres across all district headquarters in collaboration with the Department of Technical Education to ensure faster declaration of results in the future.
Instructions to Issue Caste Validity Certificates on Priority Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to prioritise the issuance of Caste Validity Certificates.
Noting that the appointment process for several previously announced recruitment results has stalled due to delays in issuing these certificates, the CM stated that such bottlenecks will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
319 Posts;1.47 Lakh Aspirants :
• Preliminary examination is being conducted for 319 KPSC Gazetted Probationers posts.
• This includes 202 Group ‘B’ and 117 Group ‘A’ posts.
• A total of 345 examination sub-centres have been established across Kalaburagi, Raichur, Ballari, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Dharwad, Belagavi, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Davanagere, Tumakuru, Mysuru, and Bengaluru Urban districts.
• Exam Date: 15-11-2026 (Sunday).
• 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM: Paper-1 (General Studies and Humanities).
• 02:00 PM to 04:00 PM: Paper-2 (State-related General Studies, Science and Technology, Mental Ability).
• 100 questions and 200 marks for each paper.
• A total of 1,47,067 candidates (91,238 men and 53,074 women) have applied across the state.
• Including both papers, a total of 2,94,134 OMR sheets will be scanned.
