Manju Sharma, a member of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) and wife of poet Kumar Vishwas, has resigned from her post following strong observations from the Rajasthan High Court regarding the 2021 Sub Inspector (SI) recruitment paper leak case. The High Court had ordered the cancellation of the 2021 SI recruitment process, calling the conduct of the RPSC a "betrayal of public trust". The court observed that several members, including Sharma, were either actively involved in or had knowledge of the paper leak and irregularities in interviews.
Sharma was appointed to the Commission in October 2020, during the Congress government's tenure, and was expected to continue until October 2026. However, the controversy surrounding the 2021 SI recruitment exam prompted her resignation.
In her resignation letter, submitted to the Governor on Monday, September 1st, 2025, Sharma stated that she had "always worked with utmost transparency and honesty". She also clarified that no investigation was pending against her in any police station or investigative agency, and she had never been named as an accused. Despite this, she said she was relinquishing her post to maintain the impartiality and credibility of the RPSC. She acknowledged that the controversy surrounding the recruitment process had tarnished her personal reputation as well as the dignity of the commission.
The Rajasthan High Court's observations in the case suggested systemic corruption within the RPSC, compromising the credibility of the recruitment process at both the interview and written examination stages. The court named RPSC officials, including the Chairman and multiple members, accusing them of either direct involvement or silent complicity. The court's remarks extended beyond the role of external actors, directly addressing the collusion of responsible individuals within the commission.
The 2021 SI recruitment exam for 859 posts was ultimately scrapped after allegations surfaced that trainee sub-inspectors and RPSC officials were directly involved in leaking the exam papers. This led the High Court to nullify the results on August 28th, impacting thousands of aspirants.
In related developments, the Rajasthan High Court granted bail to 23 individuals implicated in the exam paper leak case, including trainee sub-inspectors, dummy candidates, handlers, and paper buyers. However, the bail requests of 29 other defendants were denied.
Sharma's resignation has raised questions about the future of fair recruitment practices in Rajasthan and how institutions can rebuild public confidence in the wake of such scandals.