In a significant development, the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Monday (July 14, 2025), recommended the promotion of 18 Haryana Civil Service (HCS) officers to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
In addition to the regular promotions, nine more HCS officers have been granted “provisional” promotion. Among them, eight officers — Jagdeep Dhanda, Sarita Malik, Kamlesh Bhadoo, Kuldhir Singh, Vatsal Vashisht, Jag Niwas, Veena Hooda, and Surender Singh-1 — are facing charges in connection with alleged irregularities in the 2002 HCS recruitment process, currently under trial in a Hisar court. The ninth officer, Mahabir Parsad, who also belongs to the same batch, is facing a chargesheet in a separate matter.
According to sources, “provisional” status means the officers are otherwise fit for promotion, except for the pendency of an FIR and court chargesheet. If courts quash these chargesheets by December 31, 2025, the promotions will be regularised from the current date. If not, the recommendations will lapse.
The Haryana government had earlier recommended the promotion of 27 HCS officers from the 2002, 2003, and 2004 batches against 27 IAS vacancies—spread over five years: 2020 (3), 2021 (4), 2022 (8), 2023 (10), and 2024 (2).
Promotion of these officers had been delayed for years due to pending litigation. However, the matter gained urgency following consistent follow-ups by the state government. The ACB (Anti-Corruption Bureau) had filed a chargesheet in 2023, which had previously stalled the elevation of several officers.
As per Rule 7(3) of the IAS (Appointment by Promotion) Rules, once the UPSC approves the final list of officers selected for promotion, it becomes official. However, if any officer on that list is later issued a chargesheet or if a chargesheet is already filed against them in court, their selection will be treated as provisional until the case is cleared.
Also Read: HC Stay on chargesheet clears way for HCS officer’s IAS promotion
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