BENGALURU: Ten years after their recruitment, 52 Group D employees appointed to the Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department (KHFWD) under the Hyderabad-Karnataka cadre have been suspended for allegedly submitting fake SSLC marks cards. Officials have been directed to file criminal cases against them.
The department issued a notification for the recruitment of Group D employees in March 2015. The age criteria were between 18 and 40 years, depending on the caste, and the educational qualification required was SSLC or equivalent from a recognised board.
The selection was to be based on the candidates’ academic marks. The final list of candidates was published in November the same year. However, appointment orders were issued in June 2016.
These candidates were recruited and posted in various district hospitals, primary health centres and community health centres across the Kalyana Karnataka region.
Candidates’ exam score of 230 bumped up to 586 out of 625 on marks cards
It was only in 2023 that an individual lodged a complaint with the department alleging that several candidates had submitted fake SSLC marks cards to secure jobs.
Following this, the department wrote to the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB), which conducts SSLC examinations in Karnataka. The deputy director of KSEAB wrote back to the Health Department, stating that the marks cards submitted by the candidates did not match its records.
According to documents available with The New Indian Express, candidates who had scored 230 marks out of 625 had marks cards showing scores ranging from 560 to 586 out of 625, significantly boosting their academic scores.
A senior official said during the 2015-16 recruitment process, when the marks cards were submitted, the department sought genuineness certificates from KSEAB.
“The department had received genuineness certificates from KSEAB, leading us to believe that these marks cards were genuine. Interestingly, the genuineness certificates issued at the time were not from KSEAB, a fact that came to light only recently. This means that both the marks cards and the genuineness certificates were fake,” the official said.
According to the government order issued by the department on September 22, the employees concerned were served with charges and given time to respond. However, the employees failed to submit their replies. “Upon examining the documents related to the case, the available records and the charge sheets issued to the employees concerned, it is prima facie evident that the employees allegedly secured government employment by submitting fake SSLC marks cards,” the order issued by the director of KHFWD stated.
The order further stated that the employees appear prima facie to have committed serious misconduct under Rule 20 of the Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 1977, by submitting fake SSLC educational records/marks cards and securing appointments in government service.
Therefore, it was decided to initiate further disciplinary action under the applicable provisions of the Karnataka Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1957. The employees have been placed under suspension.
Official sources also said the respective district health officers have been directed to file criminal cases against the accused employees and to conduct an investigation. At present, their salary is around Rs 27,000 per month.
The director’s order also stated that although the employees have been suspended, they are entitled to a subsistence allowance under the Karnataka Civil Services Rules (KCSR). To facilitate the payment of this allowance, they have been shifted to different districts. They cannot leave their respective places of posting without permission.
