Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has alleged that irregularities in Karnataka Public Service Commission examinations originated during the BJP’s tenure, while stating that investigations are under way and that the state government is preparing a new digital platform to connect employers with jobseekers.
Shivakumar made the remarks at a campaign meeting for the Western Graduates’ Constituency held at the BVB College of Engineering and Technology in Hubballi on Saturday. He said the Enforcement Directorate was investigating the KPSC examination irregularities after a recommendation for an inquiry, and claimed that the names of people involved were emerging gradually.
The deputy chief minister said the state government was extending the required cooperation to investigations into irregularities in various KPSC examinations. He said the government’s objective was to establish an examination system that was fair, transparent and free of malpractice, while ensuring justice for eligible job aspirants.
The remarks come against the backdrop of wider concerns over examination integrity and the effect of paper leaks and other alleged irregularities on candidates competing for public-sector employment. Shivakumar also criticised the Union government over employment generation and alleged that several irregularities had affected the education sector during the Narendra Modi government’s tenure. These were political allegations made at the campaign meeting and were not accompanied in the report by new investigative findings.
Alongside the allegations, Shivakumar announced that the Karnataka government was moving towards implementing an employment initiative called Udyog Sethu. A separate website is being prepared for the scheme, which he described as a private employment-exchange platform. Employers and jobseekers would be able to register on the proposed website, allowing companies to identify candidates with the required qualifications and recruit them directly.
The proposed platform is intended to widen access to private-sector employment beyond Bengaluru. Shivakumar said the government would provide financial assistance to organisations that create jobs in the private sector. He added that the plan had already been announced as part of the government’s 100-day programme.
The initiative places two distinct employment challenges alongside each other: the integrity of recruitment examinations for government posts and the limited spread of formal private-sector opportunities across Karnataka’s cities. The report does not provide details on the proposed website’s launch date, eligibility rules, funding allocation, participating employers or the number of jobs expected to be created.
Minister Santosh Lad, who also spoke at the meeting, alleged that examination paper leaks and other irregularities had damaged the future of jobseekers. Ministers Laxman Savadi and Satish Jarkiholi, along with several local leaders, attended the event.
The KPSC investigation and the proposed Udyog Sethu website now represent separate government actions with direct consequences for aspiring workers: one concerns the credibility of public recruitment, while the other is intended to expand private employment access. Further details on the investigation and the platform are expected from the state government as both processes move forward.
