New Delhi: The Central Government has mandated the submission of age and reservation-related certificates at the time of applying for the Civil Services Preliminary Examination.

Previously, candidates were required to submit these certificates only after clearing the preliminary exam for civil services positions such as IAS and IPS.

This policy change follows a national controversy involving former IAS trainee Pooja Kethkar, who was found to have illegally claimed reservations under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) categories.

The incident highlighted vulnerabilities in the application process and prompted widespread criticism.

In response, the Central Government has revised the rules to ensure greater scrutiny during the initial application stage.

Candidates must now provide proof of age and reservation eligibility while submitting their preliminary exam applications, aimed at enhancing transparency and preventing misuse of benefits.