In a significant decision related to government recruitment transparency, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed petitions filed by two women candidates accused of submitting fake Class 12 marksheets in the Anganwadi worker recruitment process in Tikamgarh district. The court observed that once the educational certificates submitted by the applicants were found to be forged, there was no justification for granting them an additional opportunity for hearing.

The matter came before the vacation bench of Justice Vishal Mishra, which heard separate petitions filed by Mamta Yadav and Neetu Rajput. Both women had challenged the action taken by the Women and Child Development Department, which declared them ineligible for recruitment and directed the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against them.

According to court records, the recruitment process began following an advertisement issued by the Women and Child Development Department on June 20, 2025. The petitioners had applied for Anganwadi worker posts and submitted their Class 12 educational documents as part of the eligibility requirements.

Their names reportedly appeared at the top of the provisional merit list released on August 18, 2025, placing them among the strongest contenders for selection. However, the recruitment process took a dramatic turn after complaints were lodged before the District Selection Committee alleging that the candidates had submitted forged marksheets.

Document Verification Exposed Fraud

Following the complaint, the District Level Grievance Redressal Committee initiated a verification process. The educational institution concerned was asked to authenticate the marksheets submitted by the applicants.

According to official records, the institution informed authorities on January 8, 2026, that both marksheets were fake. Based on this verification report, the District Programme Officer issued an order on May 26, 2026, declaring both candidates ineligible for recruitment.

The order also directed officials to lodge an FIR within seven days, citing the use of forged documents during a government recruitment process.

Court Finds No Merit in Pleas

During the hearing, the petitioners argued against their exclusion from the recruitment process and challenged the direction for criminal proceedings. However, the state government opposed the petitions and presented verification records confirming that the educational documents were not genuine.

Government Advocate Kamal Singh Baghel represented the state and submitted relevant documents before the court.

After reviewing the records, the High Court held that once the marksheets had been officially verified as fake, there was no legal basis for granting further relief. The bench observed that extending additional hearing opportunities in such circumstances would serve no useful purpose and would only consume valuable judicial time.

Impact on Recruitment Process

The ruling reinforces the importance of strict document verification in public recruitment exercises. Recruitment experts say such decisions help maintain fairness and transparency while discouraging candidates from attempting to secure government jobs through forged certificates.

Officials involved in recruitment processes have increasingly relied on direct verification from educational institutions to identify discrepancies and prevent fraudulent appointments.