The Kerala government has sparked public outrage with its recent decision to significantly increase the salaries of the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) chairman and its members, amid widespread financial crises affecting the state. This controversial move was approved during the Cabinet meeting on February 19, 2025, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The PSC chairman’s salary is set to rise to match the maximum pay scale of district judges, reflecting more than just recognition of service—it's seen as preferential treatment at a time when many residents struggle economically. The proposed increase will push the chairperson’s salary from Rs 2.26 lakh to over Rs 3 lakh, with additional perks such as allowances for house rent and travel already on the table.
Interestingly, K.V. Thomas, who serves as the state's Special Representative in Delhi, is also at the center of this financial controversy. His travel allowance is being proposed for an increase to Rs 11.31 lakh. Critics have raised concerned eyebrows at this decision, especially during financial struggles impacting the health sector workers. ASHA workers, pivotal to Kerala's healthcare system, have voiced their frustration, protesting tirelessly for overdue salary increments.
Approximately 30,000 ASHA workers, who are primarily female and historically underpaid for their 12-hour workdays, earn meager monthly pay of just ₹7,000. Despite their invaluable role on the front lines of healthcare, the government has apparently prioritized hiking bureaucratic salaries rather than addressing the pressing need for ASHA workers’ wage adjustments. According to V.D. Satheesan, the Leader of the Opposition, this reflects the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s fundamental disconnect with working-class realities.
V.D. Satheesan articulated his views plainly, stating, "Kerala is reeling from staggering debt, plummeting tax revenue and low growth". He pointed out the stark inequity of the government's decisions, emphasizing how repeated benefit cuts for the underprivileged are juxtaposed against exorbitant pay hikes for political appointees like the PSC chairman. “The government is cruelly unwilling to increase the payment at least minimally so the working class women can put food on the family table,” he said.
Despite the public outcry, the justification for such substantial hikes stems from comparisons the government has made to pay structures in other states. Kerala’s PSC leadership is claiming to reflect equitable salaries against other states which reportedly handle such positions with fewer personnel. While Tamil Nadu employs only 14 members and Karnataka 13, Kerala boasts 21—leading many to question the need for such luxury salaries under current circumstances.
While public works and social assistance programs are critically underfunded with many projects stalled due to lack of compensation for contractors, state finances appear skewered. Mr. Satheesan argued, “The government's priority is clear--it repeatedly cuts benefits for the underprivileged...”. The consequences of misaligned priorities intensify as the poverty-stricken residents await their social welfare pensions—62 million individuals, including the elderly and ill, remain underfed and disenfranchised.
The PSC has also defended the salary hike as necessary to reflect exceptional service conditions, addressing judicial officers' pay levels from parallel sectors. This rationalization hasn’t sat well with the public amid protests around inadequate salaries for ASHA workers, exacerbated by the government’s recent determinations to provide uprisings for political representatives. These instabilities fuel discourse on governmental accountability.
Further class disparity has emerged from this proposed salary regime as thousands await appointments for multiple job vacancies resulting from rank list cancellations across various sectors. Critics spotlight the disconnect when PSC members accumulate significant financial benefits at the same time workers and constituents experience the financial pinch.
Kerala’s government decision to revise these salaries introduces immediate and tangible debate about governance priorities and ethical fiscal management. The clear disapproval expressed by various segments of society reaffirms growing consensus against governmental actions viewed as neglectful of regular citizens’ struggles. This scenario highlights the pressing need for substantial reform and reflection on equitable resource distribution within the state.