Rewa Collector terminated assistant grade-3 employee over forged CPCT certificate

Collector Pratibha Pal terminated, with immediate effect, the services of Abhiram Mishra, an assistant grade-3 employee posted at the Rewa Collectorate. The action followed the finding that the Computer Proficiency Certification Test (CPCT) certificate submitted by Mishra was forged. The investigation found that Mishra had not passed the CPCT despite completing four years, eight months and 20 days of service, and had produced a pass scorecard even though he had failed.

The order issued by the Collector’s office said the act amounted to misconduct and was a direct violation of paragraph 6.5 of General Administration Department circular no. C 3-12/2013/1/3, Bhopal, dated 29 September 2014, and of condition three of the appointment letter. The decision to terminate his services was taken on this basis.

Got the job on compassionate appointment

Abhiram Mishra was appointed assistant grade-3 on compassionate grounds on 25 November 2020. His father, Ambikesh Mishra, principal of Government Girls High School, Ghoghar, Rewa, died on 3 June 2018. The appointment letter required him to obtain a computer diploma from a recognised institution and pass the CPCT within three years.

Verification exposed the forgery

As per the rules, Mishra applied for completion of his probation period and attached a CPCT certificate. During verification, however, the certificate was not found valid on the CPCT website. He was asked to submit a certificate again and gave a second, self-attested certificate, but that too could not be verified on the website.

Finding the matter suspicious, the certificate was sent to the MPSEDC State Eye Centre, Bhopal. The report received from there confirmed that the certificate submitted by Mishra had serious errors and that a failing mark had been shown as passing through forgery.

Action after show-cause notice

The Collector’s office issued Mishra a show-cause notice, but his reply was found unsatisfactory. The administration then took strict action and terminated his services with immediate effect.

Collector Pratibha Pal

Collector Pratibha Pal said transparency and honesty were paramount in government service. She said strict action would be taken against any employee who submitted forged documents, so that no government employee would attempt such misconduct in future.