Jaipur: Rajasthan’s recruitment system has once again come under scrutiny after serious allegations of manipulation, favouritism, and irregularities surfaced in the recruitment of Food Safety Officers (FSOs) under the Directorate of Food Safety, Medical and Health Department.
A formal complaint submitted by advocate Chandrashekhar Kachhawa to the Additional Director General of the Special Operations Group (SOG) has triggered fresh controversy over the selection process for Food Safety Officer posts conducted during the previous government’s tenure.
The complaint alleges that recruitment rules were manipulated to favour influential candidates and politically connected individuals, while deserving aspirants were sidelined.
The matter has now intensified political and administrative debate, particularly as allegations emerge that files related to verification and investigation are allegedly being withheld despite directions issued by the current government.
Questions Raised Over Merit List Pattern
One of the most controversial allegations relates to the recruitment examination conducted for 200 Food Safety Officer posts announced under the Chief Minister’s Budget Declaration for 2021–22.
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According to the complaint, after the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) and the department released the final selection list for 178 posts, unusual patterns allegedly emerged in the merit rankings.
The complaint claims:
- Around 7 to 8 candidates among the top 10 merit holders allegedly belonged to the same community.
- More than 40 candidates in the overall selection list were reportedly from the same caste group.
The allegations have triggered questions over whether the selection process was influenced by political or administrative pressure.
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However, no official confirmation has yet been made regarding the authenticity of these claims, and authorities have not publicly commented on the statistical composition of the selection list.
Separate Allegations in 98-Post Recruitment
A second controversy pertains to another recruitment drive for 98 Food Safety Officer posts, where the selection process reportedly included both written examination and interview components.
The complaint alleges that interview marks may have been manipulated to favour selected candidates while excluding meritorious aspirants.
According to the allegations, the interview process became a tool for granting “undue advantage” to preferred candidates through discretionary marking.
The recruitment file reportedly remained pending across changes in government before allegedly being revived selectively.
Verification Orders Yet to Be Fully Implemented?
The controversy has also raised questions regarding implementation of a state government verification order issued on June 6, 2024.
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Under that directive, the Rajasthan Personnel Department reportedly instructed departments to re-verify recruitments conducted during the previous five years through internal committees.
The verification process was intended to examine:
- Whether the individual who appeared in the examination was the same person appointed to the post.
- Whether educational qualifications and degree documents submitted by candidates were genuine.
- Whether dummy candidates or impersonation were involved.
According to the complaint, files related to the disputed FSO recruitments have allegedly not yet been fully forwarded for detailed SOG examination.
Concerns Over Educational Qualifications
Another major issue raised in the complaint relates to educational eligibility.
Food Safety Officer posts require specialised qualifications in disciplines such as:
- Food Technology
- Biotechnology
- Dairy Technology
- Agricultural Science
- Veterinary Science
- Related technical subjects
The complaint alleges that verification of degrees and academic records of selected candidates is necessary to determine whether all qualifications were genuine and compliant with recruitment norms.
No official findings regarding forged or invalid degrees have yet been released.
Demand for FIR and Technical Investigation
The complainant has reportedly urged the SOG to register an FIR and initiate a detailed technical investigation into the recruitment process.
The complaint seeks examination of:
- Examination records.
- Interview marking patterns.
- Candidate verification documents.
- Educational certificates.
- Identity verification records.
- Selection procedures followed during recruitment.
Observers believe that if an investigation is formally initiated, it could become one of the most significant recruitment-related probes in Rajasthan following controversies surrounding REET, RAS, and other examinations in recent years.
Political and Administrative Pressure Mounts
The allegations have placed both the Medical and Health Department and the current state administration under pressure.
Critics argue that if verification directives issued by the government are not implemented in sensitive recruitments, public confidence in the recruitment process could weaken further.
At the same time, legal experts note that allegations alone do not establish wrongdoing, and any conclusions regarding manipulation or favouritism would depend on the outcome of official investigation and evidence-based inquiry.
Recruitment Integrity Under Spotlight Again
Rajasthan has witnessed repeated controversies over recruitment examinations in recent years, including allegations involving paper leaks, dummy candidates, forged documents, and manipulation in selection processes.
The latest allegations related to Food Safety Officer recruitment have once again highlighted concerns regarding transparency, accountability, and institutional oversight in government hiring systems.
Whether the complaint leads to a formal criminal investigation or remains limited to departmental scrutiny may now depend on the next course of action taken by the SOG and the state government.