Enforcement Agencies and Challenges in Investigating Public Service Corruption

Abstract

Public service corruption in India, especially within recruitment and examination systems, poses a big challenge to good governance and public trust. This paper looks at the roles and powers of enforcement agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation, state Anti-Corruption Bureaus, and the Central Vigilance Commission in finding and dealing with corrupt practices. It also considers the advisory role of the Union Public Service Commission and State Public Service Commissions in recruitment processes. Even with their important functions, these bodies face several obstacles that limit their effectiveness. Recent cases, such as many arrests of officials involved in bribery and cheating during recruitment, show that corruption continues even with legal protections in place. The legislative framework, including the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, and related parts of the BNS, aims to make such misconduct illegal and punishable, with special courts and faster trials. Judicial trends have strongly supported strict enforcement to protect fairness in public service. However, challenges remain in enforcement. Political interference often gets in the way of fair investigations. Limited resources and long court procedures delay the solving of cases. Also, there is not enough public awareness about anti-corruption tools, while some officials abuse their power to block inquiries. The study concludes that increasing the independence of enforcement agencies, reducing political influence, ensuring fast legal action, and encouraging active citizen participation are needed to fight corruption in public service recruitment. These steps are important to restore fairness, openness, and public confidence in India’s administrative institutions.