The Karnataka BJP has accused the state government of irregularities in the recruitment of Veterinary Officers by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC). Leader of the Opposition Chalavadi Narayanaswamy raised concerns about violations of norms for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) backlog vacancies. Allegations of bribery and nepotism in the selection process have also been highlighted.
Narayanaswamy pointed out that KPSC had announced 400 Veterinary Officer posts in 2024, comprising 342 general vacancies and 58 reserved for SC/ST candidates. Despite a government order in 2025 against competitive exams for backlog vacancies, SC/ST candidates reportedly faced competitive tests. Moreover, there are claims of candidates being asked to pay up to Rs 80 lakh for appointments.
The BJP leader criticized the recruitment process, alleging nepotism and favoritism. He mentioned instances where highly qualified candidates were overlooked in favor of those with lower scores. Narayanaswamy specifically called out the appointment of a relative of the suspended KPSC chairman and demanded merit-based filling of SC/ST backlog posts.
In addition to the Veterinary Officers’ recruitment, Narayanaswamy highlighted irregularities in the selection process for Agriculture Officers (AO) and Assistant Agriculture Officers (AAO) by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA). He also commented on student protests at the University of Agricultural Sciences campus in Bengaluru regarding the issue. The BJP leader criticized the politicization of student protests over the alleged NEET question paper leak in New Delhi.
