Wed May 28 16:53:30 UTC 2025: **Here’s a summary of the provided text, followed by a news article rewrite:**

**Summary:**

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has ordered the Rajasthan government to investigate the authenticity of an Income and Asset (I&A) certificate submitted by an IAS officer who used the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota for the 2021 Civil Services Examination. This action follows a complaint by a social activist, Vijay Kumbhar, who alleges widespread misuse of reservation quotas through fraudulent documents by civil servants. Kumbhar’s efforts have led to probes against at least 15 officers across various services. This investigation is part of a larger concern regarding the validity of reserved category certificates, including those for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD). Allegations of fabricated disabilities have previously led to inquiries, and there’s a call for greater transparency in cadre allocation to clearly indicate officers admitted under EWS and PwBD categories.

**News Article:**

**IAS Officer Under Scrutiny Amid Reservation Quota Fraud Allegations**

**NEW DELHI, May 28, 2025** – The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has launched an investigation into the authenticity of an Income and Asset (I&A) certificate submitted by an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, raising fresh concerns about potential fraud in the allocation of reserved quotas within the civil services.

The investigation, triggered by a complaint from Pune-based activist Vijay Kumbhar, focuses on an officer from Rajasthan who allegedly used the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota to secure their position in the 2021 Civil Services Examination. The officer was subsequently allotted to the Madhya Pradesh cadre after being selected for the IAS in 2022.

“We have asked the Rajasthan government to verify the authenticity of the I&A certificate submitted by the officer under the EWS category,” stated a source within the DoPT. A copy of the letter has also been sent to the Madhya Pradesh government.

Mr. Kumbhar, who previously exposed irregularities in the case of an IAS probationer sacked in 2024 for submitting false disability and OBC certificates, alleges that this is not an isolated incident. He claims that at least 15 serving officers are under investigation for similar misuse of reserved categories.

“The current probe highlights a pattern of misuse that can no longer be dismissed,” said Mr. Kumbhar. He claims to have initially alerted the President of India to these irregularities, leading to the current investigations.

The DoPT initiated an inquiry last year into six civil servants regarding their disability parameters after social media posts questioned the legitimacy of their PwBD claims.

Former IAS officer Sanjeev Gupta is now advocating for greater transparency in cadre allocation, suggesting that the EWS and PwBD categories should be clearly displayed alongside an officer’s name, similar to how SC and ST designations are indicated.

The investigation is ongoing, and the DoPT has yet to release further details. The outcome of this probe could have significant implications for the integrity of the civil service examination process and the allocation of reserved quotas.

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