The Public Service Commission (PSC) spends lakhs of rupees to conduct each examination. Once an exam is announced, candidates begin intense preparations, often dedicating months or even years in the hope of securing a government job.

They then visit offices to request that the authorities report vacancies and inquire with the PSC office about the appointment advice memo. And they wait hopefully.

Initially, they will be told that the advice memos are being prepared, and they will be dispatched soon. As months and years pass by, the rank list becomes stagnant. Those enquiring about the reason will be told that there are no vacancies. Often, they don't get a proper reply, and the rank list's validity expires.

No one has ever bothered to answer a pertinent question that job aspirants repeatedly ask: Why conduct a test if there are no vacancies?

Appointments vs advice memos
The state government and pro-Left youth organisations cite the number of advice memos whenever questions are raised over undeclared appointments. However, an appointment letter and appointment advice memo are different. If an individual is included in multiple rank lists, s/he will receive as many advice memos.

For instance, if a person is included in the top ranks in four different rank lists, s/he will receive four advice memos. The government is countering questions on appointments with the exaggerated number of advice memos.

Even in the case of advice memos, the second Pinarayi Vijayan government is behind by around 50,000 memos compared to his first term in office. If the first Pinarayi government had issued 1,61,268 memos, the current dispensation has sent only 1,11,335 memos until January.

Statistics since 2016 reveal that there was no increase in appointment advice memos. A record 3,59,11 memos were issued in 2017, which saw a downslide in the succeeding years.

Rank 1: Jeethu Raveendran
Designation: Polytechnic Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering
Rank list: Published three months ago
No of appointments: 0
Reason: Not clear. According to replies received via RTI applications, there are four vacancies.

Rank 1: Ansu K Thomas
Designation: Staff Nurse Grade-II, Kollam
Rank list: Published seven months ago
No of appointments: 0
Reason: The DMO's office informed that 25 vacancies have been reported to the PSC. However, aspirants are told that there was a mistake in preparing the rotation chart, and it will take time to rectify it.

Rank 1: S Seejith
Designation: Excise Driver, Alappuzha
Rank list: Published 20 months ago
No of appointments: 0
Reason: No vacancies. (The Finance Department sent back the Excise Commissioner's recommendations for improving the department's functions. A recommendation to fill 29 posts urgently is under consideration.)

Rank 1: J Lakshmi
Designation: HST English, Kottayam
Rank list: Published nine months ago
No of appointments: 0
Reason: No division due to inadequate student strength.

Rank 1: Jini P Das
Designation: Junior Health Inspector, Grade II, Thiruvananthapuram
Rank list: Published six months ago
No of appointments: 0
Reason: No vacancy. Cut in 'uniformed service', too!

Police and Excise departments get the most number of applicants. The government has slashed appointments in these uniformed posts as well, reveals the Civil Police Office rank list published in April 2025.

In the previous year, 4,783 candidates received appointment recommendations to seven battalions, with Malappuram (MSP) leading with 887. In other districts, barring Idukki, more than 600 people were issued memos. However, not even half of the previous year was issued this time.

When complaints about appointments reach the court, the government has a stock reply: The issue is being studied, and it will be considered.