The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has asked the Rajasthan government to initiate an enquiry into an alleged Income and Asset (I&A) certificate scam involving an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. The officer is a domicile of Rajasthan and became an IAS officer in 2022. He was allotted the Madhya Pradesh cadre. He is under scanner for allegedly using the Economically Weaker Sections’ (EWS) quota while appearing for the Civil Services Examination in 2021. A copy of the letter has also been sent to the Madhya Pradesh government.

The directive comes after Pune-based RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar filed a complaint with the DoPT in August 2024, flagging misuse of reservation benefits under categories such as EWS, PwBD, OBC-NCL, SC, and ST. Kumbhar named 22 officers in the complaint. DoPT has now sought verification for 15 officers- 11 IAS, 2 IPS, 1 IFS, and 1 IRS.

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“DoPT probes 15 IAS officers for reservation misuse: Rajasthan (2), UP (2), Haryana (2), Odisha (1), Bihar (1), MP (1), Maharashtra (1), Kerala (1), Home Ministry (2), Dept of Revenue (1), MEA (1). Ethical failure undermines justice!” Kumbhar wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Notably, Kumbhar was also the first to raise concerns about IAS probationer Puja Khedkar in 2024, who allegedly used fake PwBD and OBC certificates to qualify in the 2022 civil services exam.

DoPT letter to Rajasthan and MP govts

The letter, dated May 5, and signed by DoPT’s Anshuman Mishra, requested the Rajasthan government to “verify the authenticity of I&A certificate” issued to the officer “under EWS category”. It also sought comments on the same.

Ex-IAS officer reacts

Former IAS officer Sanjeev Gupta asked, “How do fake EWS and PWD cases go unnoticed in civil services?” 

He added, “Though I have pointed out to DoPT repeatedly that cadre allocation of IAS must show these 2 categories also, this hasn’t been done even in the list dated 13.12.24. So, no one ever comes to know in his/her remaining career.”

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Gupta further noted that the Civil Services Exam Rules clearly provide for medical examination in AIIMS New Delhi only for candidates claiming reservation due to benchmark disabilities. “Why was para 2(3) of CSE Rules flouted? To give an escape route of legal challenge to those who can’t ‘manage’ their retest in a hospital that was legally not entitled to conduct the medical exam to claim the benefit of reservation for persons with benchmark disabilities?” he asked. 

‘DoPT should act to stem the rot’

“If the voice of a retired Secretary to a GOI-level officer is not heard, then it’s indeed a sorry state of affairs. Having known you personally, you have been raising such issues so that the credibility of the UPSC remains above board. DoPT should take note of and act to stem the rot,” said Sudesh Kr Shahi, former Joint Secretary to the Government of India. 

IFS Mohan Pargaien said that he appreciates Kumbhar’s “patience” and “perseverance” in the matter, adding, “I am sure this will bring some corrective action and suitable changes in the system.”