Error in UPSC record clerical error: Army chief

The error in UPSC records of General VK Singh was a clerical mistake, the army chief's petition has contended before the Supreme Court.

The error in UPSC records of General VK Singh was a clerical mistake, the army chief's petition has contended before the Supreme Court.

Brushing aside the controversy over his age, Singh further claimed that the error was spotted and rectified way back in June 1966, before he joined National Defence Academy (NDA) for his training.

The government had refused to accept 1951 as Singh's year of birth on the ground that his UPSC forms filled while joining NDA recorded May 10, 1950 as the date of birth (DOB).

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Submitting his school and service records Singh has explained how the discrepancy arose.

The petition, filed by counsels Puneet Bali and Prabhjit Jauhar, stated that in response to a UPSC advertisement issued on June 5, 1965, Singh had filled his forms for the course commencing in June 1966. While the form he filled carried the correct date, the one filled by a clerk recorded his year of birth incorrectly as 1950. On account of the discrepancy, UPSC wrote a letter to him on June 18, 1966.

Within nine days Singh's father submitted his school leaving and provisional matriculation certificates to UPSC for rectification. Then, the plea claimed, the records were corrected.

To prove his contention, the army chief has also submitted a certificate from the Rajput Regiment's Commanding Officer acknowledging his year of birth as 1951. He has also drawn support from the law ministry order accepting his contention.

With regard to his 2008 letter written to the defence ministry, accepting 1950 as DOB, Singh clarified he never admitted the date as his year of birth.

According to Singh he had submitted his matriculation certificate, asking the authorities to consider it as proof of his age.

He accused the government of violating his fundamental right as the ministry in July 2011 recalled its February 2011 order that admitted his year of birth as 1951. Two subsequent orders turned down Singh's plea to consider 1951 as his DOB.