Former Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar affirms his confidence in the UPSC’s examination process, yet warns that the misuse of EWS and disability certificates is seriously denting its credibility ("While I trust the integrity of the UPSC exam process, the misuse of documents in categories like EWS and PwD warrants urgent attention"). Disturbingly, he estimates that 20–30% of newcomers already exhibit compromised behavior a proportion that swells to 50–60% as their careers progress.

Kumar stresses the importance of rigorous checks to ensure the authenticity of category certificates. This aligns with an ongoing DoPT-led investigation into allegedly fake reservation credentials submitted by civil servants, involving verification across multiple states and risking the careers of several IAS and IPS officers.

Beyond administrative rigour, Kumar outlines the evolving demands on civil servants: they must now be digitally savvy, climate-conscious, and emotionally intelligent, while upholding empathy, integrity, and humility in service.