RPSC member Babulal Katara's term expires in jail, removal bid falls short
Synopsis
A suspended RPSC member walked out of office at the end of his natural tenure — from a jail cell. The Rajasthan government's attempt to remove Babulal Katara via presidential proceedings ran out of time, leaving the constitutional process unresolved. With four vacancies now open and no permanent chairperson since June, Rajasthan's already-embattled public recruitment body faces a fresh capacity crisis.
Key Takeaways
Babulal Katara's term as RPSC member expired on 15 October 2026 while he remained in judicial custody.
The state government's reference to the President of India seeking his removal under Article 317 was not completed before tenure-end.
SOG arrested Katara on 18 April 2023 in the Senior Teacher Recruitment Examination 2022 paper-leak case; he was later linked to the PSI Recruitment Exam 2021 leak as well.
Then-Governor Kalraj Mishra suspended Katara in January 2024 ; the ACB also probed his assets.
The RPSC now has four vacant member posts and has been without a permanent chairperson since June 2026 .
Lt Col Kesari Singh holds additional charge as chairperson; five members remain active.
Suspended Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) member Babulal Katara has seen his term end while he remains behind bars, with the state government's bid to formally remove him from office left incomplete. Katara's tenure expired on Wednesday, 15 October 2026, without a presidential dismissal order being issued — leaving the constitutional removal process unresolved and pushing the number of vacant RPSC member posts to four.
How Katara Ended Up in Jail
The Special Operations Group (SOG) arrested Babulal Katara, the commission's dismissed driver Gopal Singh, and Vijay Katara on 18 April 2023 in connection with the Senior Teacher Recruitment Examination 2022 paper-leak case. Investigators subsequently linked Katara to a second scandal — the Police Sub-Inspector Recruitment Examination 2021 paper-leak case — compounding the charges against him.
In January 2024, then-Governor Kalraj Mishra suspended Katara from his RPSC post. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) also collected information about his assets, signalling the breadth of the investigation against him.
Why the Removal Proceedings Failed to Conclude
Under the constitutional framework governing the RPSC, a chairperson or member can only be removed by the President of India on specified grounds and through a prescribed procedure. In cases involving alleged misbehaviour, the Constitution provides for an inquiry by the Supreme Court under Article 317 before any removal order can be issued.
The Rajasthan state government had sent a formal reference to the President seeking Katara's removal. However, the required inquiry proceedings were not completed before his term expired on Wednesday, and no dismissal order was issued. His departure is therefore classified as the natural end of tenure rather than a formal removal — a distinction with potential legal and administrative consequences for any future accountability proceedings.
RPSC's Growing Vacancy Crisis
The commission has been functioning without a permanent chairperson since June 2026. Lieutenant Colonel Kesari Singh, a serving commission member, currently holds the additional charge of chairperson. With Katara's seat now vacant, the RPSC is down to five active members: Professor Ayub Khan, Hemant Priyadarshi, Professor Deepak Sharma, Professor Sushil Bissu, and Professor Santosh Anand.
Four vacant positions in a body responsible for conducting high-stakes public recruitment examinations raises serious questions about its operational capacity, particularly given the backlog of pending cases tied to the paper-leak investigations themselves.
What This Means for Accountability
Notably, the failure to complete removal proceedings means Katara technically walked out of his post at tenure-end rather than being formally dismissed — a procedural outcome that critics argue weakens the deterrent effect of constitutional accountability mechanisms. This comes amid broader scrutiny of Rajasthan's recruitment infrastructure following back-to-back paper-leak scandals that have shaken public confidence in state-level examinations.
With four vacancies now open and no timeline announced for fresh appointments, the state government faces pressure to restore the RPSC's functional strength before pending recruitment cycles are further delayed.
Point of View
In practice, too slow to outrun a fixed tenure. That the state government could suspend him within months but could not secure a formal removal in nearly two years raises questions about how seriously the reference was pursued at the Centre. More broadly, Rajasthan's back-to-back paper-leak scandals — 2021 PSI and 2022 Senior Teacher — point to systemic vulnerabilities in exam administration that personnel changes alone will not fix. Four vacancies on the RPSC, with no permanent chairperson, is an institutional risk that compounds the reputational damage already done.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Babulal Katara's RPSC term end without a formal removal order?
Under Article 317 of the Constitution, removing an RPSC member on grounds of misbehaviour requires a Supreme Court inquiry before the President can issue a dismissal order. The Rajasthan government sent a reference to the President, but the required proceedings were not completed before Katara's tenure expired on 15 October 2026, so no removal order was issued.
What cases is Babulal Katara accused of?
Katara was arrested by the SOG on 18 April 2023 in connection with the Senior Teacher Recruitment Examination 2022 paper-leak case. Investigators later linked him to the Police Sub-Inspector Recruitment Examination 2021 paper-leak case as well. The ACB also examined his assets.
How many vacancies does the RPSC now have?
The RPSC now has four vacant member positions. The commission has also been without a permanent chairperson since June 2026, with Lieutenant Colonel Kesari Singh holding additional charge in the interim.
Who are the current active members of the RPSC?
Following Katara's departure, the five active members are Professor Ayub Khan, Hemant Priyadarshi, Professor Deepak Sharma, Professor Sushil Bissu, and Professor Santosh Anand. Lt Col Kesari Singh holds additional charge as chairperson.
What is the constitutional process for removing an RPSC member?
Under the constitutional framework for public service commissions, a member can be removed by the President of India on specified grounds. Where misbehaviour is alleged, Article 317 requires the matter to be referred to the Supreme Court for a formal inquiry before the President acts. This process is distinct from a suspension, which the Governor can order independently.
