Reaching out to the youth ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said Kerala PSC is far ahead of the UPSC and other state PSCs in creating employment opportunities in the public sector.
“Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) is setting an example for the entire country by making record appointments. More than 230,000 job recommendations have been issued since June 2016. The state government has created around 30,000 additional posts during this period,” Vijayan said, addressing the Chief Minister’s face-to-face programme with the youth, organised here.
He claimed that the state made this achievement at a time when millions of posts are lying vacant in central services and other states.
“The Union Public Service Commission has made only 16,434 appointments in central services across India since 2018. But during the same period, Kerala PSC created a record in appointments. The State Public Service Commission of Uttar Pradesh, with a population eight times that of Kerala and three times as many government employees, has only made 37,632 appointments,” the Left leader claimed.
In an apparent reference to the appointments made by PSCs in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states in the last five years, the CM said only 4,590 appointments have been made in Madhya Pradesh, 11,535 in Maharashtra, and 8,890 in Gujarat.
Vijayan also said only 12,940 appointments were made in West Bengal and 31,869 in Rajasthan during this period.
His statement also comes in the wake of opposition allegations that there was an undeclared ban in place on appointments in the state services and efforts are on to destroy the Kerala Public Service Commission under the Left rule.
The Chief Minister dismissed allegations that Kerala’s youth are leaving for jobs abroad, asserting instead that their migration is a testament to their skills and capabilities.
“It is a fact that our youth seek opportunities worldwide that align with their abilities. Kerala has a long history of migration spanning over a century. However, this phenomenon should not be reduced to mere brain drain. Rather, it should be viewed as a deployment of Kerala’s social capital on a global scale,” he said.
Vijayan noted that Keralites are present across the globe in various advanced fields due to their exceptional capabilities. Thus, the migration of people from Kerala exemplifies the skills they have acquired, the CM said.
To further strengthen Kerala’s achievements, Vijayan emphasised the need to enhance enabling social conditions.
He underscored Kerala’s secular society as a model for the country and the world, emphasising that such a society fosters gains accessible to all.
“The unique social fabric of Kerala must be safeguarded. Without it, progress is unattainable. Therefore, our youth must transcend caste and religion in their thoughts and actions,” Vijayan said.
He highlighted Kerala’s renaissance movements and their values as pivotal in driving progress.
“Efforts to maintain and reinforce social unity must be pursued by drawing energy from these movements.” Vijayan also highlighted the developmental milestones achieved by the LDF government over the last seven years, positioning Kerala as the top state in the country across numerous developmental and social indices.
He further said that Kerala’s Start-Up Mission was recognised as the best in Asia by an international organisation.
Addressing the first question, posed by renowned young Malayalam movie director Basil Joseph, who recalled his parents advising him against engaging in campus politics when he joined college, Vijayan attributed their concern to a widespread perception that politicians are inherently corrupt.
“Not all political leaders serve as role models. Many exemplify negative traits within society,” Vijayan said.
He claimed that student organisations affiliated to Left-wing parties offer a different approach to politics.
These organisations, he claimed, aim to educate youths about their rights and promote the construction of a healthy society.
“One must recognise that there are two distinct forms of politics,” Vijayan said.
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