In a major crackdown on fraudulent practices, the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) has disqualified a staggering 524 candidates from various examinations for submitting fake disability and other certificates. This decisive action has prompted the commission to implement stricter verification measures for aspirants of the prestigious Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS).
Mandatory Medical Board Reverification for RAS Aspirants
As interviews for the 2024 batch of RAS officials commenced on Monday, the RPSC issued a new directive. All differently-abled candidates appearing for the RAS interview must now get the extent of their disability reverified by a designated medical board. This move is a direct response to the widespread fraud uncovered by the commission.
RPSC Secretary Ramniwas Mehta confirmed the step, stating it complies with a circular from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment dated November 24. The circular makes the verification of disability certificates mandatory. "Both Unique Disability IDs (UDIDs) and certificates of disability will be verified," Mehta emphasized.
Scale of the Fraud and Punitive Actions
The scale of the malpractice is significant. Of the 524 candidates against whom action has been initiated, the RPSC has taken severe punitive measures.
- 415 candidates have been permanently debarred from all RPSC examinations.
- 109 candidates have been banned from appearing in any RPSC exam for a period of five years.
Commission officials have made it clear that anyone found submitting forged documents will also face legal consequences. The crackdown isn't limited to future applicants. "Many candidates, who were found to have submitted fake or forged disability certificates, are already working in various government departments, and we have written to their respective superiors demanding action," revealed Secretary Mehta.
Previous Precedents and Vigilance Directives
This is not the first time the RPSC has taken such steps. The commission first formed medical boards to reverify disability percentages for RAS interviews back in 2023. The outcome of that initiative was revealing. "After the RPSC first formed medical boards... many candidates moved applications requesting their names be moved from the disabled category to general," Mehta noted, indicating that the threat of verification alone prompted many to withdraw dubious claims.
The state's personnel department had also flagged the issue earlier, issuing a notification on August 25 calling for extra vigilance on candidates applying under the disabled category. The current directive reinforces that ongoing effort to ensure fairness and integrity in the recruitment process for some of Rajasthan's most coveted government posts.
