CHAPTER - 6

THE STAFF

44. The Secretary:

The Head of the Office of the Commission is the Secretary. He exercises general
supervision and control over the staff of the Commission and is responsible for seeing
that the members of the staff do the work allotted to them efficiently and expeditiously.
It is his duty to take effective steps for the prompt despatch of business in the office.

45. The special powers and Responsibilities of the Secretary—In addition to the
duty of seeing to the proper transaction of the business of the office, the Secretary has the
following special functions:-

a) A superintending control over the whole office;

b) Administrative control over the office buildings;
c) Control over the Establishment Section of the office, Records and the
conservancy and Watching Staff;
d) To attend the meetings of the Commission; and
e) Such other functions as assigned by the Commission.

46. The Secretary is in general charge of all offices of the Commission.

Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary:

47. The Additional Secretary and the Joint Secretary occupies position similar to
that of the Secretary as regards subjects allotted to them by the Commission and they can
send cases for orders direct to the Commission in such matters. However in all-important
matters they have to consult the Secretary or route the files through the Secretary.

Controller Of Examinations:

48. Controller of Examinations will be directly in-charge of the work relating to

preparation, printing and despatch of question papers relating to all Examinations except
Departmental Tests conducted by the Commission. He has to obtain orders on the
aforesaid items directly from the Chairman or the Member in charge of examinations.

Controller of Finance:

49. The Controller of Finance has to exercise overall control over the Accounts
Section of the Commission. The Controller of Finance is to exercise the financial powers
delegated to him by the Commission from time to time vide Cl.2 of Regulation 13 of the
K.P.S.C. (Composition and Conditions of Services of Members and Staff) Regulation
1957. He has to ensure maintenance of proper accounts.
 The Deputy Secretary:

50. The Deputy Secretary occupies a position almost identical with that of the
joint Secretary in regard to the subjects allotted to him by the Commission. He exercises
also the functions of an Under Secretary in respect of all cases in which he is not
authorised to submit cases direct. The Secretary, however is responsible for the subjects
allotted to the Deputy Secretary. The latter consults the Secretary on cases dealing with
important questions of principles or any other case which he considers to be one of
special importance.

51. The responsibility of the Joint Secretary/Deputy Secretary extends to the

Tappal branches under his control. He must examine the Registers at frequent intervals
and see that they are regularly and properly maintained and that there is no delay in these
branches.

The Under Secretary

52. The Under Secretary exercises control over the sections placed in his charge
both in regard to the despatch of business and discipline. It is his duty to check any
tendency to delay work and attend to all duties assigned to him by the Secretary or
Deputy Secretary from time to time in accordance with the recognised practice.

53. The Under Secretary shall keep a watch over the pending selections or
examinations under his charge and see that appropriate action is taken to expedite them.
It is the primary responsibility of the Under Secretary to see that scrutiny and disposal of
the applications for selections and examinations received in the sections under his control
are done promptly and ensure that the Assistants and Section Officer finish the scrutiny
of applications according to the target fixed.

54. The Under Secretary must periodically inspect the Personal Registers
maintained by the Assistants in the Sections under his control and see that they are neatly
and properly maintained. He must also see that the Section Officers under him inspect
the Personal Registers so far as their respective Sections are concerned. It is his duty to
bring to the notice of the Deputy Secretary or Secretary any serious delay or other
irregularity and any indication that any member of the establishment is obviously
unsuited for his work. He must watch the incoming reminders and look into the cause of
the delays that have evoked them. He must give directions to his subordinate officers on
difficult or intricate questions, should they seek or need his guidance and he is at liberty
to note on any file, should he consider it necessary to do so. It is his duty to see that the
rules and orders are strictly obeyed.
 Section Officer

55.: The Section Officer is in charge of a Section of the office. He is assisted by a

certain number of Assistants. He is responsible for all files relating to the subjects
allotted to the assistants under him as well as the applications and concerned documents
received in the Section. He is directly responsible to the officers under whom he works,
for the efficient and expeditious despatch of business in all stages in his section. He
should see that the Assistants who have to scrutinise applications do the work and is
carried out according to the schedule. The training of the Assistants under him is one of
his principal functions. He must see that his Assistants do their work on the basis of
urgency and priority, that they do not waste time and paper on needless noting or
correspondence and that really urgent matters are given immediate attention. He will not
merely superintend but will himself undertake to deal with the more difficult or important
papers with such help from the Assistants as he may find necessary. He is responsible for
the accuracy of the notes and drafts proceeding from the section; he cannot place the
responsibility on the Assistants. He is not expected to express views, or to suggest what
orders should be passed on a case, except when there is a clear precedent or the case is of
a routine nature, or the orders necessarily flow from some provision of law or rule.

56. When an examination is to be held or interview of candidates is to be

conducted the Section Officer should see that the lists of candidates are prepared in the
proper form and the communication to the candidates issued at the appropriate time.

57. The Section Officer should ensure that the Tappal is received in the Section
without delay. There should be no discussion with the Office Superintendent of Tappal
Section about the correctness of the allotment of any particular current. The Section
Officer of the Section will have such currents registered in the Section and will submit
them to the Under Secretary or Deputy Secretary as the case may be, for transfer to the
Section concerned.

58. Papers requiring early or immediate attention should be so marked by the

Section Officer.

59. The Section Officer is responsible generally for the prompt, steady and
efficient despatch of the work of his Section. He must constantly examine the cases
pending with his Assistants in order to see that they do not delay them. He should insist
on his Assistants studying the currents and collecting papers for reference immediately on
their receipt. He should see that the currents are put up quickly and according to the
nature of their urgency and that they are properly referenced. He should see that the
noting is brief. The chief merits of a note being lucidity completeness and brevity, he
will see that they are constantly kept in view both by himself and his Assistants.

60. Whenever a paper is received in the Section, which requires immediate

attention, the Section Officer shall see that it is dealt with at once. It is the responsibility
of the Section Officer for watching the course of the files that require immediate action
and to see that necessary orders are passed on them and issued in time.
 61. The Section Officer should see that stock files are maintained up to date in the
Section. He should check the stock files at frequent intervals.

62. To ensure the efficient and expeditious despatch of work the Section Officer
should thoroughly examine the Personal Registers once in a fortnight on a specified day
and submit notes of inspection to the Under Secretary. He should check the Call Book at
reasonable intervals, say once in a fortnight. He should initial the Register in token of his
check. The check should be done not only to see that the entries in the Register are
correct and punctually made, but also to take immediate action on delayed and urgent
cases. He should ask his assistants to produce such papers and give them practical help
to put them up quickly or he should himself take over and deal with the papers. It is his
duty to ensure that no delay occurs, which could with diligence, be avoided and that no
paper is shelved by the Assistants. For this purpose he should, besides the fortnightly
check of registers inspect frequently the papers pending with each Assistants. He should
search the shelves, drawers of the tables etc. of the Assistants periodically and make
reports along with the usual notes to the Secretary. The search should be made once in
every month.

63. Papers shall normally be submitted within five days of receipt in office, that
is, from the date revealed from the officer’s date seal or initials. The Section Officer will
be held responsible for any paper found pending in his Section without sufficient grounds
for more than five days. Holidays will not be excluded in calculating the period.

64. The above instructions will not apply to papers marked ‘immediate’ or
‘urgent’ by the superior officers, which should be attended to immediately.

65. The Section Officer of a Section should on every Monday bring to the notice
of the Under Secretary any case, which is seen to have been with a superior officer or in
circulation for more than a fortnight. Section Officers should also see that all papers
necessary for the disposal of a case are put up, that pages are properly numbered and that
flags are tagged on wherever necessary.

Office Superintendent

66. The Office Superintendent in charge of Fair Copy Section should see to the
proper distribution of the typing work among the Typists under his control and should
have an overall supervision over the work of the Typists. The Office Superintendent in
charge of the Tappals should be responsible for distribution of Tappals including
applications from candidates to the different Sections.

Assistants

67. The main duties of Assistants are to reference all communications and to
assist the Section Officer in dealing with cases relating to the Section. Work of a routine
and mechanical nature such as the maintenance of registers, the putting up of relevant
papers, scrutiny of applications, preparation of lists of candidates preparation of
admission tickets to be issued to the candidates admitted for Examination and
Departmental Tests and other similar work will also form part of the duties of the
Assistants. An Assistant when relieved of his duties in his seat must hand over the files
or records in his possession to the Section Officer or to the Assistant authorised by
Section Officer and must obtain receipt thereof.

Typists

68. All the Typists in the office shall work under the immediate supervision of the
Office Superintendent. The Typist is responsible for fair copying all the matters
distributed to him/her by the Office Superintendent. The matter typed by him/her will be
compared by the Assistants concerned, with the help of the Typist or another Assistant.

P.S/P.A.’s/Confidential Assistants

69. They have to do shorthand work for the Chairman, Members, Secretary or
other Gazetted Officers and such other items of work as are entrusted to them from time
to time.

Clerical Assistant, Attenders, Duffadars, Peons, Binders, Drivers

70. They have to perform the duties assigned to them by the Section Officer,
Office Superintendent and Assistants with whom they are attached.

Conservancy and Security Staff

71. The main duties of the conservancy and security staff are the proper care of the office
buildings and premises, cleaning of the buildings and protecting them from fire,
trespassers and theft.

SYSTEM ANALYST/ SENIOR PROGRAMMER

System Analyst/ Senior Programmers shall solve computer problem and apply
information and Communication Technologies to meet the needs of the offices of the
Commission where they are posted. They will help the officers to realize the maximum
benefit from the investment in equipment, personnel and smooth functioning of the IT
infrastructure. System Analysts may plan and develop new computer systems or device
ways to apply existing systems resources to additional operations. System Analysts shall
begin design & development/modification to existing system only after discussing the
matter with System Manager and other concerned officers. They shall prepare techno
economic feasibility reports, which help the Public Service Commission to make an
informed decision as to whether a proposed project/ program has to be implemented.
 The System Analysts shall specify flow charts process diagrams for computer
programmers to follow. They will work in tandem with Programmers to debug errors
from the system. They shall diagnose problems recommend solutions and determine
whether program requirements have been met. They are expected to do both
programming and systems analysis. System Analysts shall be involved with networking,
in the office of the Public Service Commission. The goal of networking in Public Service
Commission is to allow users to retrieve data from the desktop computer keeping in view
of the security restrictions in mind.

The System Analyst/Senior Programmer posted at the Regional Offices are

expected to work under the direct control of the Regional Officer of the concerned
Regional Office and will report to the System Manager, KPSC, Head Office.

By providing OMR Scanners and High Speed Printers to the Regional Offices, the
Commission have decided to process the applications and generate admission tickets
relating to selections in respect of Regional Office and District Offices under the control
of Regional Offices. The supervision and carrying out of the day today business in
connection with electronic data processions are vested with the System Analysts/Senior
Programmer. He will be responsible for the smooth functioning of the OMR scanning
work computers. High Speed Printers and allied equipments installed in the respective
Regional Offices and District Offices coming under the jurisdiction of the respective
RO’s. The System Analyst should make any modifications/amendment to the existing
programs and procedures only after receiving approval from his controlling
officer/System Manager. He shall maintain log of computer usage at Regional Offices
and collect and collate log details from concerned District Offices and transmit them to
Head office as and when required. System Analyst shall ensure that the data are backed
up into suitable media. System Analyst may assist the users in Regional Offices &
District Offices of Kerala Public Service Commission in deriving optimum output from
the use of computers and allied machines. System Analyst will be responsible in
providing relevant reports like District-wise break up, Admission Tickets, Signed Lists,
Register Numbers, Reports as per the requirement of the concerned offices.

Confidentiality has to be enforced on items classified as confidential and System

Analyst shall not divulge any such details to the public or to other members of the staff
except those who have been specifically authorized in this behalf.

PROGRAMMER

Out of the two posts of Programmer sanctioned, one post is attached with the
OMR Division and the other is with Application Processing Division in the Head Office
of Kerala Public Service Commission. The Programmer will work under the control and
direction of the respective System Analyst. They will assist the System Analyst/Senior
Programmers in carrying out the daily business of the respective sections.

Programmers are expected to write test and maintain programs required by Kerala
Public Service Commission. The Programmer shall assist the System Analyst in smooth
conduct of day-to-day business of Kerala Public Service Commission. Programmer
works under the supervision of Senior Programmer. Programmer shall write programs
according to the specifications determined jointly by the System Analyst and System
Manager of the Public Service Commission. Requirements for writing new program will
be communicated to the concerned Programmers by the designated officer under his seal
and signature from time to time. It is the responsibility of the Programmer to convert the
design into a workable program acceptable to the user. Programmers are expected to
update, repair, modify and expand existing programs and develop new programs as and
when requirement arises. Programmers are also expected to test a program by running it
to ensure that the instructions are correct and that the program produces the desired
outcome. The Programmer shall make appropriate change and recheck the program until
it produces the correct results. The segregation of duties of Programmers are only for
administrative convenience, there shall e mutual co-operation and interaction with OMR,
EDP, RO’s and all other divisions/sections of KPSC to ensure smooth and efficient
running of both divisions and also KPSC as a whole confidentiality has to be enforced on
items classified as confidential and Programmers hall not divulge any such details to the
public or other members of the staff except to those who have been specifically
authorized in this behalf.

This order is not a comprehensive one. All items of works entrusted in

connection with computerization by higher officials shall be carried out by the
Programmers.

SYSTEM ANALYST
At present the Computer Centre has two Divisions viz, OMR Division &
Electronic Data Processing (Application Processing) Division. The Divisions
will function under the direct supervision of the System Analyst posted to
each Division.

The System Analyst posted to the OMR Division will have overall
supervision and control of Scanning Operations, Planning, Scheduling,
Organising, Coordinating the post examination process in consultation with
the Secretary/ Additional Secretary (Examinations)/ Joint Secretary (R & A)/
Deputy Secretary (Examinations). The System Analyst will be the custodian
of software in the division under his control, their licensing agreements,
follow up and procuring updates.

The other System Analyst will be in-charge of Computer System ie.

Servers & Nodes deployed for ‘Recruitment Application Processing System’
(REACT). He will be in-charge of data processing activities connected with
the utilization of the system. He will be responsible for the supervision of
computer system, planning, scheduling, organizing in consultation with
Additional Secretary (Recruitment). The System Analyst will be the
custodian of Software, their licensing agreements, follow up and procuring
updates. He will also be responsible for the analysis of new versions and
suggestions for new purchase for hardware modifications.
 The intention in assigning specific duties to the System Analyst is only for
administrative convenience. There shall be mutual co-operation and
meaningful interaction between the two divisions. The System Analyst will
have to ensure effective and optimum utility of the computer facility at their
disposal.

The System Analyst in-charge of OMR and the other in-charge of

processing will be designated as SA (OMR) & SA (EDP) respectively.

The System Analyst (OMR) will submit weekly report on the working of
the division under his control to the Chairman/Secretary/Additional Secretary
(Examinations)/ Joint Secretary (R & A). The System Analyst (EDP) will
submit weekly report to the Chairman/ Secretary/ Additional Secretary
(Recruitment)/ Joint Secretary (R & A). The report should be submitted on
the 1st working day of the following week. They should also maintain Log
Registers for the Computer Systems.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANT
The Technical Assistant has to assist the System Analysts in the network
monitoring and in the scanning and connected processing. He should assist
the System Analyst in the proper accounting of consumables and should keep
performance report of the machines and help the System Analysts in logging
the activities. The Technical Assistant should also supervise all data entry
work.

The following are the duties and responsibilities of Technical Assistant:

1) Fault Attending
The faults of PCs and allied machineries shall be reported to the Technical
Assistant by the users. He shall be provided with a Register to note the details of
faults reported and subsequent repairing attended to. On getting a call from
section stating that a machine is having a problem, the Technical Assistant shall
make an entry regarding the details and he shall sign with the time of receipt of
complaint. He then should proceed to the spot and find out the fault and if
possible he shall attend to the fault and repair it. If the machine is in
AMC/Warranty period the matter shall be reported to the concerned firm for
urgent repair. After a lapse of a reasonable time, he shall report the matter
regarding non-attending of the fault by the firm to the Joint Secretary (R & A) for
further follow up. Format of the Register to be kept by the Technical Assistant is
given as Appendix A of this order.

2) Assessment of Spares to be purchased

The Technical Assistant shall make assessment of the spares to be
purchased for the effective and efficient functioning of the PCs and allied
machineries.
3) Upkeep of the UPS
It is the responsibility of the Technical Assistant to see that the firms from
whom Warranty/AMC conditions are in force are doing periodical checkup. He
shall study the AMC agreement and as per his report, if required, the Joint
Secretary (R & A) shall intervene to get better service from concerned firms.
Some batteries attached to UPS need filling of distilled water. Procurement and
filling of distilled water is also the responsibility of the Technical Assistant.

4) Printers
It is the duty of the Technical Assistant to see that all printers including
High Speed Printer are working properly. When complaint is received from the
persons who are handling Printers, the Technical Assistant himself should go to
the spot, understand the problem in the machine and shall make it good. If
AMC/Warranty is there, the Technical Assistant shall contact the firm to get it
repaired. It is his responsibility to see that the machines are repaired without any
lapse of time. For each High Speed Printer a Register shall be kept by the
Technical Assistant in the format appended to the order as Appendix-B. The
System Manager shall make periodical checking of the Register. The System
Manager shall submit it to the Secretary for perusal, twice or thrice in a year.

5) Installation and Maintenance of PCs

It is the duty of the Technical Assistant to install and maintain the PCs at
different sections as directed by the Joint Secretary (R & A) / System
Manager/EDP Manager.

6) Maintenance of LAN
It is the duty of the Technical Assistant to add new PCs into the network.
He should also ensure that the network is properly working. The help of CMC
shall be sought as long as they are here in Public Service Commission for
rendering AMC.

7) Name Slip
There shall be a slip on each and every machine and the slip shall have the
following details in it:

AMC/Purchase Order Number and Date

AMC/ Warranty Period
Contact Number in case of fault

The Technical Assistant shall see that slip with the above details is affixed
on the machine. If not, the details may be collected from R & A Section and slip
should be pasted on the machine.

8) OMR Machines
 OMR Machines shall be attended to by Technical Assistant in case of
emergency. Technical Assistant shall render possible help to the persons who are
handling the machine. He shall be present in the OMR Room when engineers
from the suppliers/service providers come to PSC Office for service/repair. He
shall interact with them and understand remedial measures to be taken in respect
of usual break down.

9) Misuse of Machine
In case the Technical Assistant notices any misuse of machine, he shall
bring the fact to the officer concerned. In case of any difficulty in bringing the
fact to the concerned the same shall be reported to the Joint Secretary (R & A) for
timely intervention.

10) Changing of Ribbon

In “DOT MATRIX” Printers, Silk Ribbons are used. The machine may
get damaged if timely replacement is not made. So periodical inspection shall be
made to see that replacement of Ribbon has been made by the user.

11) Relation with Technical Staff

The Technical Assistant shall seek the advice of the Hardware
Engineer/System Manager/ System Analyst/ Programmers as and when necessary.
They are supposed to give direction and help in the matter of hardware
maintenance to the Technical Assistant.

12) Seating Arrangement and Telephone

The seat of the Technical Assistant is arranged in Terminal II. He can use
internal Telephone No. 346. Complaint can be registered to Phone No. 346.

This order is also not an exhaustive one. Senior Officers may entrust tasks
relating to PCs and allied machineries to the Technical Assistant from time to time. He
shall attend to such items of tasks without any hesitation.

DATA ENTRY OPERATOR

The Data Entry Operator should execute the data entry and DTP work as
per the direction of the Chairman/ Secretary/ Controller of Examinations/
Additional Secretary/ System Analyst. The Typists entrusted with the work of
Data Entry should execute the work as per the directions of their controlling
officers.
 The activities of the Computer Centre and personnel connected with the
centre are only supplementary in nature. The regular work in the office will
have to be carried out as such by all the other officers concerned as per the
duties and responsibilities attached to their posts.

Necessary incorporation in the PSC Manual in respect of the above will be made
separately.