BHOPAL: A 2013-batch Madhya Pradesh cadre Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, Vipin Kumar Patel, has reportedly resigned from service, citing personal reasons, though informed sources and unconfirmed reports allege that the decision followed prolonged and undue pressure exerted on him by a senior IFS officer.
Patel, who was posted as Divisional Forest Officer (Working Plan), Jabalpur, is said to have quit the service with effect from February 4, 2026.
While the state’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force (HoFF), VN Ambade, is yet to officially receive the resignation, a copy of the letter addressed to him was circulated in the Madhya Pradesh cadre IFS officers’ social media group.
Based on the circulated copy, Ambade directed the Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Jabalpur, to speak to Patel and ascertain the reasons behind his resignation.
According to informed sources, the concerned CCF attempted to meet Patel at a hotel in Jabalpur, where he was staying, but Patel had checked out before the meeting could take place.
Despite repeated attempts, Patel could not be contacted over the phone by The New Indian Express.
Sources privy to the developments said that some of his close relatives had met senior officials of the forest department in Bhopal regarding the issue.
His relatives, who reside in Bhopal, were reportedly unaware of the actual reasons behind his sudden decision to resign from the coveted service.
The matter came to light after Patel’s resignation letter was shared in the IFS officers’ group, in which he cited personal reasons for quitting.
During his career, Patel held several key postings, including DFO-Rewa, DFO-Damoh, DFO-Satna and DFO-Anuppur.
As per unconfirmed reports, the alleged prolonged and undue pressure from a senior officer relates to the period of his posting as DFO-Anuppur.
The development has triggered shock and concern among serving and retired IFS officers, particularly as the 2013-batch officer was widely regarded as one of the most efficient and hardworking officers in the department.
“The resignation of Vipin Patel from the Indian Forest Service is both surprising and deeply concerning. He is widely regarded as an efficient, sensitive and down-to-earth officer, who consistently demonstrated commitment to public service and professional integrity. When an officer of such calibre chooses to step away from the service, it inevitably raises questions about the functioning of the present system."
"Such decisions are rarely impulsive, they often reflect accumulated pressures, systematic constraints, or a perceived inability to work within existing institutional frameworks. The loss of dedicated officers weakens governance and deprives the system of experience, credibility and ethical leadership. The development calls for honest introspection and corrective measures to ensure that capable and conscientious officers are supported, respected and enabled to serve with dignity,” a retired IFS officer commented on Thursday evening.
Reacting to the development, another IFS officer of the MP cadre wrote in the same social media group, “At least he (Patel) had the courage to make the decision, whereas I was unable to take a decision even after being eligible for pension under the old pension system even after 20 years of service.”