DoPT Probes 11 IAS Officers Over Fake Reservation Claims
In a development that has rocked India’s civil services establishment, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has initiated a sweeping inquiry into allegations of reservation misuse by 15 civil service officers—including 11 IAS officials—from eight states. The probe was triggered by multiple complaints of fraudulent caste, income, and disability certificates being used to secure coveted government positions.
DoPT Steps In: A Probe into the Integrity of Civil Service Entry
The inquiry, ordered earlier this May, marks a coordinated effort by the central government to investigate systemic loopholes in the selection process for India’s top bureaucrats. According to officials, letters have been sent to state governments and central ministries to verify the authenticity of documents submitted by these officers at the time of their UPSC selections.
Among the 15 officers under investigation are two IAS officers each from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana, and one each from Odisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Kerala. The list also includes two IPS officers posted in the Ministry of Home Affairs, one IRS officer in the Revenue Department, and one IFS officer in the Ministry of External Affairs.
The DoPT has specifically asked for scrutiny of certificates submitted under categories like Other Backward Class (OBC), Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Economically Weaker Section (EWS), and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD).
RTI Activism Sparks Nationwide Investigation
The investigation was spurred by Pune-based RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar, who had flagged irregularities in the civil services selection process. His complaints centered around discrepancies in reservation-related documentation and the lack of a real-time verification system linking UPSC with caste and income databases.
“Someone who genuinely deserved that seat is now out because someone else lied on paper,” Kumbhar told the press. “It’s not just a technical error—it’s a breach of public trust. There are too many loopholes, and it’s time the system got an overhaul.”
Of the 22 officers initially flagged, 15 were shortlisted by DoPT for official scrutiny. Most of these officers joined services between 2015 and 2023, raising concerns about the reliability of verification processes in recent years.
Nationwide Fallout: Lessons from the Puja Khedkar Case
The issue gained national attention in 2024 when probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar was dismissed for submitting forged OBC and disability certificates. Her removal intensified calls for stricter verification and accountability in the bureaucratic selection system.
While DoPT officials have remained tight-lipped about the current inquiry, sources confirm that letters were issued on May 5, 2025, requesting state and ministry-level verification of certificates related to caste, income, and disability. “This is an internal inquiry,” one official said anonymously. “We’ve asked for fact-checks from state authorities, and disciplinary action will depend on their findings.”
Growing Public Pressure for Systemic Reform
Kumbhar, who has continued to file RTIs and appeal to top authorities—including the President of India—expressed frustration at the pace of action. “This work shouldn’t be done by a citizen. It should be the department’s job. This is very shameful,” he said.
His activism and the subsequent inquiry have sparked renewed debate on the credibility of reservation policies and the mechanisms meant to enforce them. Civil society groups and public policy experts are now urging the government to implement digital verification tools and inter-agency coordination to close gaps in the recruitment system.
What Lies Ahead
As state-level verifications proceed, the fate of these 15 officers—especially the 11 IAS officials—hangs in the balance. The outcome of the probe could trigger disciplinary action, including possible terminations, and set a precedent for future scrutiny in the civil services.
Beyond the individuals involved, the inquiry reflects a broader reckoning with transparency and fairness in India’s elite administrative machinery. The government’s next steps will be closely watched, not only by bureaucrats but also by the millions who see the civil services as the pinnacle of meritocratic opportunity.
(With agency inputs)
