The Audit department discovered that Union Public Service Commission officials were being questioned on numerous fronts. In an RTI report sought by R K Garg of Chandigarh, it is revealed in that the institute that vouches to give the best bureaucrats to the nation is drowned in profundity in a well of corruption, or one may say, manipulation. This audit report is from the year 2019–2021 in which various heads are financially audited by the department, and hence innumerable flaws are raised by the audit department and UPSC was unable to give clarity to the office of the Director General of Audit.
The report reveals that the UPSC formulated a policy approved vide Note F No A-41020/07/2017-Admin- I dated March 22, 2016 for the engagement of the consultant at various levels. During the scrutiny of records related to the appointment of consultants, it was noticed that there was only one vacancy in the posts of Joint Secretary and Deputy Secretary-Cadre but 10 consultants were in the position against these posts and each consultant was getting fees of Rs 50000 per month. This resulted in excess expenditure amounting to Rs 54 lakh annually. The matter may be examined holistically and taken up with the controlling authority.
The UPSC officials did not stop here in misusing their position. UPSC officials are in the habit of using public money for their personal use. The staff cars are used for their picnic. As per Report Rule, No. 21 & 22 of the Staff Car Rules, they contain detailed instructions regarding control of “staff cars, the kind of journeys for which staff cars are intended to be used, the journeys for which the use of staff cars is totally prohibited, and the kind of non-duty journeys for which staff cars can be used on a payment basis. Rule 18 stipulates that the use of staff cars is not permissible for journeys to places of entertainment, public amusements, parties, pleasure trips, etc. Further, if staff cars are used for touring purposes and diversions from the normal route of such authorised journeys, charges for the extra mileage involved are recoverable from the officer concerned.
The Audit department examined the staff car files and log books of Staff Car No.DL 2C BB 5952, which travelled to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Administration Academy (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, Uttarakhand from 10.03.2021 to 14.03.2021 to familiarise with the training programs. It was noticed that besides this, the staff car was also used for private purposes to visit Kempty Falls, horse riding polo ground, Lal Tibba & Market area, Bhutta Falls and sight-scene, Dhanaulti Hills and sight-visit, Landor Market area. The staff cars ran 1099 kilometres in total, including official purposes and for these above-mentioned sight visits. During the test check of the log book of Staff Car No.DL 2C BB 5952, it was also noticed that the staff car was used on holidays, i.e., Saturday and Sunday, for a private visit to Jaypee Greens Golf Course and DILF Golf Course Gurugram on 06.03.2021, 07.03.2021 (256 km daily total 512 km), and on 27.02.2021 and 28.02.2021 (180 km daily total 360 km).
The audit report also revealed that the UPSC paid extra TDS, avoided GeM competition, split the items while purchasing, and also paid Rs. 25000 to the Supreme Court Counsel, whereas as per rules, only Rs. 9000 is to be paid to the Counsel. In total, the report shows that UPSC officials are manipulating figures, using public money for their personal use and also using it to oblige their aquaintances.
