Something unusual seems to be happening in many central ministries these days — and the Centre appears to be outpacing even the states in terms of peculiar developments. The latest case comes from the Department of Education, Government of India.

The spotlight this time is on the Central Hindi Institute (Kendriya Hindi Sansthan), an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Education, headquartered in Agra. A curious detail on its official website has drawn attention — the Director has referred to himself as “Honourable” alongside the Minister.

Evidently, if this practice is not stopped immediately, every departmental head in the government might start prefixing “Honourable” before their name — effectively reducing the true dignity of elected representatives to that of a mere designation. The man at the centre of this controversy is Dr. Sunil Baburao Kulkarni, the Director of the Central Hindi Institute, Agra.

But Dr. Kulkarni’s fame is not limited to this ‘honourable’ title. He has long been under scrutiny over alleged irregularities in his appointment and academic credentials.

A formal complaint has reportedly been sent to the Prime Minister of India, titled:

“Request for a high-level inquiry into the irregularities and forged dates used by the Search-cum-Selection Committee during the appointment of the Director, Central Hindi Institute, Agra under the Ministry of Education, Government of India.”

The very subject line of this complaint speaks volumes about the gravity of the matter.

The content of the complaint, though brief, touches upon a wider canvas of corruption, casting serious doubt on the integrity of the current education administration itself.

The complaint, submitted by Dr. Arun Kumar Dixit, states:

“Respected Sir, it is submitted that a complaint regarding serious irregularities and corruption in the appointment of the Director, Central Hindi Institute, Agra under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, was lodged on the PM Portal on 14.12.2023 (Complaint No. PMOPG/E/2023/0262757). The investigating officer appointed on the portal was Mr. B.K. Singh.

Shockingly, instead of conducting an independent inquiry, Mr. B.K. Singh sought a reply from the very person against whom the allegations were made — Dr. Sunil Baburao Kulkarni — and treated Dr. Kulkarni’s own letter dated 23.01.2024 as the final response to dispose of the case.

I am completely dissatisfied with the investigating officer’s conduct, who failed to discharge his responsibility and attempted to cover up the issue. It is therefore requested that a fresh investigation be ordered so that the truth behind this corruption may be brought to light.”

The complaint raises serious ethical and procedural questions about the functioning of both the institute and the Ministry of Education, adding yet another chapter to the growing list of administrative controversies in the central government.

An Investigative Report by: Harendra Pratap Singh