Parliament panel calls for online verification to combat fake OBC certificates

The Parliamentary Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) has expressed serious concern over the widespread use of fake OBC caste certificates in government recruitment, which has allowed some candidates to unfairly benefit from reserved vacancies. To address this issue, the Committee has made several key recommendations, including the implementation of an online system for issuing and verifying caste certificates.

The Committee has urged that all caste certificates be issued digitally and made accessible on a central website. This would allow recruiting agencies to verify the authenticity of certificates quickly and transparently. “Once it is done, it would ensure transparency and the recruiting agency can access the website to certify the veracity of such issued certificates,” the Committee stated. The system should also include a feature to allow third-party complaints about fraudulent certificates.

Additionally, the Committee recommended that the government take immediate steps to improve the scrutiny of caste certificates at the district administration level. “Necessary steps/measures to sensitize the District Administration and other agencies concerned may be put in place so that they may take utmost care in scrutinizing the credentials of the candidates seeking caste certificate,” the Committee emphasized.

In response to these concerns, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) provided an update on the current situation. The DoPT clarified that the responsibility for verifying caste certificates rests with the respective appointing authorities in each Ministry, Department, or Organization. “Lakhs of appointments under the Government of India are made under thousands of cadres by different appointing authorities spread across various Ministries/Organisations,” the department explained.

To tackle fraudulent caste certificates, the DoPT has issued clear instructions for removing candidates from service if they are found to have obtained their positions through false documents. “All the Ministries/Departments, including their attached, subordinate offices, PSUs, Autonomous Bodies etc., are required to ensure that the process for verification of the caste certificate of the employee is initiated and completed by the concerned appointing authority within a maximum period of six months,” the DoPT confirmed.

The Committee’s recommendations aim to address a long-standing issue in government recruitment. While each cadre controlling authority maintains data on fake caste certificates, the Committee has stressed the need for more effective and transparent verification processes, particularly through the use of modern technology.

By establishing an online verification system, the Committee hopes to prevent further misuse of the OBC reservation system and ensure that only eligible candidates benefit from it. The DoPT has been urged to implement these changes in a timely manner to improve the overall recruitment process and maintain fairness in government jobs.

This move comes amidst the controversy surrounding Puja Khedkar, who was discharged by Centre from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) with immediate effect, a month after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) cancelled her selection in one of the most sought-after branches of government service. Khedkar was found guilty of cheating and wrongly availing Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quota benefits. After cancelling her selection, the UPSC had barred her from taking the entrance exam for life.

The UPSC found her guilty of faking her identity to take the exam multiple times. Following the controversy, the UPSC looked into the data of more than 15,000 candidates who cleared the IAS screening process between 2009 and 2023.