Lok Sabha Question No. 69 (STARRED), answered on 2017-12-20
Subject: Fake Caste Certificates
Ministry: PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
Asked by: HARISHCHANDRA DEORAM CHAVAN, VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS (DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND TRAINING)

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 69

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2017)

## FAKE CASTE CERTIFICATES

## †*69.   SHRI HARISHCHANDRA CHAVAN: SHRI VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  no  data  regarding  submission  of  fake  caste  certificates  of  Scheduled Castes, Scheduled  Tribes and Other  Backward  Classes  for recruitment to Government posts has been collected/maintained after 2010;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reasons  therefor  along  with  the  reaction  of  the Government thereto;
- (c) whether more than half of the cases  of  submission  of  fake  caste  certificates  on record in 2010 are still pending for disciplinary action;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto; and
- (e) whether the Central Bureau of Investigation has conducted any investigation with regard to fake certificates and if so, the details and the outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE. (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) to (e):    A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.69  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  20.12.2017 REGARDING FAKE CASTE CERTIFICATES

(a) to (e): The data regarding submission of fake caste certificates of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes for recruitment to  Government posts is not centrally maintained as it is the responsibility of the concerned appointing authority to  take  appropriate  action  in  such  cases.    However,  in  pursuance  of  the  directions  of Parliamentary Committee on Welfare of SCs/STs, the Central Government undertook one time exercise in the year 2010 to collect information about appointments secured on the basis  of  fake/false  caste  certificates.    The  said  information  received  in  the  year  2010 revealed  that  out  of  1832  cases  of  fake/false  caste  certificates  reported  by  various Departments/Ministries/Organisations,  276  cases  resulted  in  removal/suspension  from service, 521 cases were entangled into litigations and in balance 1035 cases, disciplinary cases were pending.

The instructions on verification of caste  certificates  by  District  authorities  were reiterated vide OM of 11 th April, 2012 and 14 th March 2016.   The instructions for taking action against Government  servants who  get appointment on the basis of false SC/ST/OBC certificates were reiterated vide OM of 10 th January 2013.

Government  OM  of  19.5.1993  provide that wherever it is found that a Government servant, who was not qualified or ineligible in terms of the recruitment rules etc.  for  initial  recruitment  in  service  or  had  furnished  false  information  or  produced  a false certificate in order to secure appointment, he should not be retained in service.   If he is a probationer or a temporary Government servant, he should be discharged or his services should be terminated.  If he has become a permanent Government servant, an inquiry as prescribed in Rule 14 of CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965 be held and if the charges are proved, the Government servant should be removed or dismissed from service.

Government OM of 9.9.2005 provide that appointing authority should verify the caste status of SC/ST/OBC candidates at the time of initial appointment as well as every important  turn  of  the  employee's  career  through  the  District  Magistrate  of  the  place where the candidate and /or his family ordinarily resides.

Moreover,  the  Government  had  requested  all  the  States/  Union  Territories  on 20.3.2007 to streamline the process for verification of claims of candidates belonging to SCs, STs and OBCs and to issue instructions to District Magistrates/ District Collectors/ Deputy Commissioners to ensure at their own level the veracity of caste certificates so that unscrupulous non-SC/ST/OBC persons are prevented from securing jobs meant for SCs/STs/OBCs  by  producing  false certificates. Further, in order to discourage unscrupulous activities, State Governments/ Union Territories have also been requested to consider issue of appropriate instructions for initiating disciplinary proceedings against the  errant  officers  who  default  in  timely  verification  of  caste  certificates  or  who  issue false certificates.

Again  on  1 st June  2017,  the  Department  of  Personnel  and  Training  on  its  own volition  has  sought  data  from  Central  Government  Ministries  /Departments  regarding appointments  made  on  the  basis  of  fake/  false  caste  certificates  and  follow  up  action taken  by  them  thereon  in  respect  of  all  the  Organisations  under  their  administrative control.  As per information received from 48 Departments/ Ministries/ Organisations till 10.12.2017,  around  1040  cases  of  fake/false  caste  certificates  have  been  reported  by them.  Out of these, nearly 65 cases have resulted in termination of service.  In respect of about 570 cases, the matter is pending before the concerned Government authorities for verification/scrutiny.  In respect of nearly 145 cases, the matter is pending before various Courts of Law.  In the remaining 260 cases, the matter is at initial stage of examination before appointing authorities to verify the complaint of fake/false caste certificate.  These also  include  a  few  cases  where  the  complaint  of  fake/false  certificate  has  been  found incorrect by the appointing authorities after verification/scrutiny.

Reportedly,  during  2010  to  2016,  Central  Bureau  of  Investigation  (CBI)  has registered and investigated sixteen cases relating to fake/false certificate.  Out of these cases, in one case one of the accused employee has been convicted and dismissed from service against which an appeal is pending and in one case, closure report has been filed by CBI. In the remaining cases, CBI has either recommended for departmental action or matter is pending trial or is under trial.

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