Check Solapur civic chief Ombase’s OBC non-creamy layer certificate: Centre to state

Social activist Vijay Kumbhar claimed that the 2015-batch IAS officer fraudulently acquired it to be eligible for more attempts to clear the civil services examination

Mumbai: The central government has asked Maharashtra’s chief secretary Sujata Saunik to verify the authenticity of the Other Backward Classes - Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL) certificate of Solapur municipal commissioner Sachin Ombase, after social activist Vijay Kumbhar claimed that the 2015-batch IAS officer fraudulently acquired it to be eligible for more attempts to clear the civil services examination.

Check Solapur civic chief Ombase’s OBC non-creamy layer certificate: Centre to state

Kumbhar on Monday posted a photo of the letter sent by Anshuman Mishra, under secretary to the Indian government, to Saunik regarding the activist’s complaint that Ombase had used a fake OBC-NCL certificate while giving the civil services exam in 2014. Ombase “illegally” obtained the certificate “by hiding facts, submitting false info, and pressuring officials,” Kumbhar wrote on X.

Saunik confirmed that Maharashtra’s general administration department (services) had received the letter. The controversy comes a year after Puja Khedkar, a former IAS probationary officer at the Pune district collectorate, was accused of forging disability and OBC-NCL certificates to gain extra attempts in the civil services examination.

According to Kumbhar, Ombase had made four failed attempts to clear the civil services examination in the general category, after which he obtained a non-creamy layer category OBC certificate in order to be eligible for more attempts. He eventually cleared the exam in the fifth attempt.

“His father was a professor. How could he fall in the non-creamy layer category? In those days, four attempts were allowed for general category aspirants and those from the OBC category were allowed seven attempts. Ombase cleared his civil services in the fifth attempt. After exhausting four attempts, he applied under the OBC category,” said Kumbhar.

When contacted, Ombase said that he will submit his explanation to the government when asked. He has earlier served as the collector of Dharashiv district and the chief executive officer of the Wardha zilla parishad.