Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) issued instructions regarding the verification of character and antecedents for newly appointed employees, as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions (DoPT). All appointing authori-ties in EPFO are required to complete this verification within six months of a candidate’s appointment, covering roles like Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner and Enforcement Officer. If verification is not completed in this time frame, the matter must be escalated to the Director General of Police and, if unre-solved, to the Union Home Ministry. The verification process includes attestation forms and self-declarations by candidates, and if discrepancies are found, the provisional appointment is canceled. For ex-servicemen, a simplified verification process applies if they were re-employed within a year of dis-charge, relying on their discharge book and prior verification from the Armed Forces. If the break ex-ceeds a year, further verification is required for the post-discharge period. This procedure is vital for en-suring transparency and security in government appointments.
Employees Provident Fund Organisation
MINISTRY OF LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
HEAD OFFICE
NBCC Centre, Block-2, Ground Floor- 4th Floor, East Kidwai Nagar, New Delhi-110023
Website: wvvw.epfindia.gov.in, www.epfindia.nic.in
No.- A-12011/12/2024-EPFO-HQ/RC/328
Date: 07.11.2024
To,
All Zonal Addl. CPFCs (HQ)/ Zonal Addl. CPFCs.
All RPFCs, OICs of Regional Offices
RPFC (ASD)
Subject:- Instructions regarding verification of Character and Antecedents on appointment in EPFO – regarding
Madam/Sir,
Kind attention is invited to DoPT OM No. 18011/2(s)/2016-Estt. (B)(i) dated 29-062016 (enclosed as Annexure-I) regarding guidelines on verification of character and antecedents prior to appointment in Government service.
2. A large number of officials are appointed in EPFO on different posts such as Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner (APFC), Enforcement Officer (EO) / Accounts Officer (AO), Personal Assistant(PA), Junior Translation Officer(JTO), Social Security Assistant (SSA), Stenographer etc. The appointing authorities are requested to undertake an exercise of verification of the character and antecedents of the successful candidates, within 6 months of joining, before confirming their appointment order.
3. In this regard it is requested to kindly ensure that verification of the character and antecedents of the successful candidates who have joined has been completed by the concerned ASD/Zonal Office/Regional Office/PDNASS/Zonal Training Institute where the candidate has joined. If it is not done, then immediately the verification of character and antecedents of the candidate be ensured from the concerned authorities by sending the Attestation Forms to the District /Police Authorities where the candidate has resided for more than one year during the preceding five years.
4. On receipt of the verification report from District/ Police Authorities and on confirmation of Caste/EWS/PwBD certificates by issuing authorities, the competent authority will issue the Final Ap-pointment letter to the candidate.
5. If the verification report is not received within six months then following course of action should be adopted:
i. The ASD/Zonal Office/Regional Office/PDNASS/Zonal Training Institute where the candidate is posted should refer the matter to Director General Police of the concerned State requesting him/her to provide the verification report in three months.
ii. If the report is still not received, then the Union Home Ministry should be requested to get the verification report obtained from the concerned authorities so that the decision of confirmation on the provisional appointment letter is taken.
6. Additionally, the following procedure shall be adopted in the case of ex-servicemen selected for ap-pointment in EPFO in accordance with DoPT OM No. 18011/8(s)/2017-Estt(B-II) dated 31-12-2018(enclosed as Annexure-II):
i. No detailed or simple verification is necessary in the case of ex-servicemen reemployed in EPFO, if the period intervening their date of discharge/retirement from the Army/Navy/Air-Force and their date of re-employment in EPFO under the Government of India is less than a year However, the appointing authority should verify the character and antecedents of the can-didate (Ex-servicemen) from the Discharge Book issued at the time of retirement from the Armed Forc-es. The appointing authority should also satisfy itself about the suitability of the candidates by making a reference to the appropriate quarters that-
a. his character and antecedents had been verified by the concerned au-thorities in Army/ Navy/ Air-Force and the re-verification of antecedents, where required, had also been carried out satisfactorily; and
b. his conduct during the previous employment did not render him un-suitable for employment under the government.
ii. In cases where the interval between the date of discharge from the Army/Navy/Air-Force and the date of re-employment in the civil post is more than a year, in addition to action as envisaged at (i) above, verification of character and antecedents in respect of the period after the date of discharge shall also be got done from the district authorities of the places where the ex-servicemen had resided for more than a year after the date of his discharge from the Army/Navy/Air-Force.
7. The Officer In-charge of the ASD/Zonal Office/Regional Office/PDNASS/Zonal Training Institute will be personally responsible for monitoring the receipt of Character and Antecedent reports of all the newly appointed employees/officers in their office.
8. Since the candidate himself/herself submits the self-declaration form, in case any of the information is found incorrect, or in case, the verification confirms that facts given by the candidate were not correct or any material fact has been suppressed, the appointing authority shall cancel the provisional appoint-ment letter forthwith. The candidate shall be rendered unfit for any Government employment or em-ployment under the Central Board and appointing authority shall undertake other criminal/civil/legal action, as per provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 etc. as deemed fit.
This issues with approval of the Competent Authority.
Yours faithfully,
Enclosure: As above
(PPS Maingi)
Regional PF Commissioner-I, Recruitment Division
SECRET
No. 18011/2(s)/2016-Estt (B)(i)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel and Training
North Block, New Delhi-110001
Dated 29/ June, 2016
Office Memorandum
Subject: Attestation form for verification of character and antecedents prior to appointment in Govern-ment service – regarding.
A large numbers of officials are appointed to civil services and posts under the r Government of India through transparent selection process conducted by various recruiting agencies like UPSC, SSC etc. As per existing policy, the appointing authorities undertake an exercise of verification of the charac-ter and antecedents of the successful candidates before issuing the formal appointment order.
2. It is observed that the process of verification of character & antecedents often takes two to six months time, which results in undue delay in issue of appointment orders and consequent filling up of the post.
3. Government of India is committed to good governance which is citizen-centric. The overall vision of the Government of India is minimum Government and maximum governance. To achieve this vision, it has been decided to have reform in the policy of prior character verification through partial modification of 0.M No.18011/9(s)R8- Estt.(B) dated 2 July, 1982. The other guiding principles, criteria and proce-dures will remain unchanged. It has been decided that now the verification of character & anteced-ents will be carried out, but the issue of appointment letters need not be withheld pending such verifi-cation. The appointing authorities will issue provisional appointment letters after obtaining the attestation form and self declaration from the candidate. The candidate along with the details of attestation form will also submit the self-declaration certifying that all facts and details given in the form are correct. Accordingly, the attestation form has been revised and enclosed as Annexure.
4. In the provisional appointment letter, it will be clearly mentioned that in case character & ante-cedents of the candidate is found not verified or any false information is given by the candidate in his/her self-declaration, the provisional appointment letter Will be cancelled forthwith and other crimi-nal/ legal action will also be taken, as a consequence.
5. The exercise of the verification of character & antecedents should be carried out in six months time. Once the verification report is received and there are no objections on the facts given by the candi-date, the provisional appointment ‘letter will be confirmed.
6. If the verification report is not received within six months then following course of action will be tak-en.
(a) The appointing authority will refer the matter to Director General Po-lice of the concerned State asking to provide the verification report in three months.
(b) If the report is still not received, then the Union Home Ministry will be requested to get the verification report obtained from the concerned authorities so that the decision of confirmation on the provisional appointment letter is taken.
7. Since the candidate will submit the self declaration, in case any of the information is found incorrect, or in case, the verification confirms that facts given by the candidate were not correct, then the ap-pointing authority shall cancel the appointment letter forthwith. The candidate shall be rendered unfit for any Government employment and appointing authority shall undertake other criminal/civil/legal ac-tion, as per provisions of Indian Penal Code(1PC) etc. as deemed fit.
8. In cases, where appointing authority is of the view that the candidate will be appointed to sensitive post or in which detailed prior verification is considered particularly necessary in the interest of security, the appointment will be made only after such verification. However, for such cases, exemption shall be considered by DOP&T after a reference is submitted by administrative Ministries giving full justifi-cation.
Encl: As above
(Sumita Singh)
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India
To,
Secretaries of All Ministries/Departments of Government of India
No.1801118(s)/2017-Estt (B-II)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training
North Block, New Delhi
Date December, 2018
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Verification of character and antecedents of ex-servicemen and ex-Central Government em-ployees selected for appointment to civil post’ under the Government of India.
The undersigned is directed to invite a reference to ‘DoPT O.M No.18011/10(s)/87-Estt(B) dated 231d/ 28th July, 1987 regarding ve ification of character and antecedents of ex-servicemen selected for appointment t civil posts under Government of India.
2. Government has reviewed these instructions in view of the modification made vide DoPT O.M No. 18011/2(s)/2016-Estt(B) dated 29.06.2016 on the policy of prior verification of character and anteced-ents. It has been decided that t le following modified procedure shall henceforth be adopted in the case of ex-servicen en selected for appointment to civil posts under Government of India.
(i) No detailed or simple verification is necessary in the case of ex ser-vicemen re-employed in civil posts, if the period intervening their date of discharge/retirement from the Army/Navy/Air-Force and their date of reemployment in a civil post under the Government of India is less ‘han a year. However, the appointing authority should verify the chEracter and antecedents of the candidate (Ex-servicemen) from the Discharge Book issued at the time of retirement from the Armed Forces. ThE appointing authority should also satisfy itself about the suitability of the cEndidates by mak-ing a reference to the appropriate quarters that-
(a) his character and antecedents had been verified by the concerned authorities in Army/ Navy/ Air-Force and the re-vet ification of antecedents, where required, had also been carried out satisfactorily; and
(b) his conduct during the previous employment did not render him un-suitable for employment under the government.
(ii)(a) In cases where the interval between the date of discharg from the Army/Navy/Air-Force and the date of re-employment in the civil post is more than a year, in addition to action as envisaged at (i) above, v ,rification of character and antecedents in respect of the period after the date –)f discharge shall also be got done from the district authorities of the pieces ‘t. here the ex-servicemen had resided for more than a year after the date of I– s dis-charge from the Army/Navy/Air-Force.
(ii)(b) li keeping with the spirit of the reforms made in the policy of prior verification 01 character and antecedents, government has now decided that the issue of a,)point–nent letters need not be withheld pending such verification. The appointing au-thorities shall issue provisional appointment letters after cotaining the attestation form and self declara-tion from the candidate. The candidate along with the details of attestation form shall also submit the s,df-declaration certifying that all facts and details given in the form are correct. A copy of the attestation form is enclosed as Annexure- I.
c. In the provisional appointment letter, it will be clearly mentioned that in case cnaracter & antecedents of the candidate are found not verified, or in case Eny false infor-mation is given by the candidate in his self-declaration, the provisional appointment letter shall be can-celled forthwith and other criminal/ .gal action will also be taken, as a consequence.
d. he exercise of the verification of character & antecedents should be carried c ut within six months. Once the verification report is received and there are 1,0 objections on the facts given by the candidate, the provisional ppoin–.ment letter shall be confirmed.
e. the verification report is not received within six months, then the fol-lowing ( ourse of action will be taken:
(i) The appointing authority will refer the matter to Director General, Po-lice of the concerned state, asking to provide the verification report in three months.
(ii) ‘After three months, if the report is still not received, then the Union Home Ministry will be requested to get the verification report obtained from the concerned authorities, so that the decision of confirmation on the provisional appointment letter is taken.
f. Since the candidate will submit the self declaration, in case any of the information is found incorrect, or in case, the verification confirms that facts given by the candidate were not correct, then the appointing authority shall cancel the appointment letter forthwith. The candidate shall be rendered unfit for any Government employment and appointing authority shall undertake other criminal/civil/legal action, as per provisions of Indian Penal Code. as deemed fit.
g. In cases, where appointing authority is of the view that the candidate shall be appointed to sensitive post, or to a post for which detailed prior verification is considered par-ticularly necessary in the interest of security, the appointment shall be made only after such verification. However, for such cases, exemption shall be considered by Do P&T after a reference is submitted by administrative ministries, with full justification.
3. The above procedure shall also be application mutatis mutates with immediate effect to other excretal Government employee who are being considered for re-employment
4. Hindi Version will follow.
(Sumita Singh)
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India
To
secretaries of All Ministries Department of Government of india
