The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has launched a formal inquiry into several civil services officers accused of securing their positions using fake reservation certificates. The move comes after preliminary findings suggested that fraudulent documents may have been submitted during recruitment for some of India’s most prestigious government posts.
The inquiry was triggered by anonymous complaints and a subsequent internal audit that revealed inconsistencies in the reservation documents submitted by a number of officers currently serving in various ministries and departments. The certificates in question pertain to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) categories, which are entitled to affirmative action under India’s reservation policy.
According to sources within the DoPT, the suspected officers allegedly used forged or invalid certificates to claim reserved seats in the highly competitive civil services examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). These actions, if proven, would constitute a serious breach of integrity and undermine the principle of social justice that reservation policies are intended to uphold.
The DoPT has formed a high-level committee to investigate the matter thoroughly. The committee will:
Scrutinize the reservation certificates submitted by the accused officers.
Coordinate with state authorities and caste verification boards to authenticate the documents.
Seek explanations from the officers involved and allow them to present their defense.
Recommend disciplinary action, including suspension or termination, if fraud is established.
The inquiry is expected to cover cases dating back over the past decade, reflecting the government’s commitment to rooting out systemic irregularities.
The allegations have cast a shadow over the credibility of the civil services recruitment process, which is regarded as one of the most rigorous and merit-based systems in the country. Public reaction has been swift, with many calling for stronger verification mechanisms and stricter penalties for those found guilty of fraud.
Social justice advocates have expressed concern that such incidents could erode trust in affirmative action policies and disadvantage genuine candidates from marginalized communities. “Reservation is meant to level the playing field, not be exploited through forgery,” said Dr. Meera Singh, a noted sociologist.
A senior DoPT official emphasized that the government takes such allegations very seriously and is committed to ensuring fairness and transparency in recruitment. “Any officer found guilty of using fake certificates will face the strictest possible action, including dismissal and legal prosecution,” the official stated.
