New Delhi: In an unprecedented move, Dr. Paresh Saxena, a 1994-batch senior IPS officer of the Bihar cadre, has returned the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Services, citing “unfair denial” of empanelment to the post of Additional Director under the 360-degree review process introduced for civil servants in 2020.
Dr. Saxena, currently serving as Inspector General in the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), wrote to the President in February 2025, stating that despite fulfilling all eligibility criteria and serving at the Centre since 2018, he has repeatedly been denied empanelment since 2022—without any official explanation.
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Empanelment Under Cloud: “Process Shrouded in Secrecy”
In his letter, Saxena described the empanelment process as opaque and arbitrary, stating that it operates “shrouded in secrecy” through multi-source feedback or 360-degree reviews, which draw input from serving and retired officers.
He alleged that certain senior officers, including a now-retired IPS officer who served as DG of the Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) in 2022, deliberately tarnished his image by filing malicious and unfounded comments in his appraisal reports.
Saxena claimed the officer initiated a narrative that he had deep RSS links, which, despite never affecting his professional conduct, was used against him during the review process. “Despite my personal beliefs never impacting my professional conduct as an IPS officer, the DG’s disapproval led to a malicious proposal for my repatriation,” he wrote.
“Camaraderie Among DGs of Same Batch” Led to Bias, Claims Saxena
Saxena further alleged that “batch camaraderie” among DGs of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) helped continue the narrative, which portrayed him as a “rigid and uncooperative officer” who allegedly misled superiors and intimidated colleagues.
He mentioned that when the current ADG and DG visited him after his mother’s passing, they became aware of his actual family background. Nonetheless, successive DGs allegedly continued to misrepresent his profile.
Medal Announced, But Empanelment Denied
The IPS officer’s name was announced for the President’s Medal for Distinguished Services during the Republic Day honours earlier this year. Dr. Saxena wrote that he had hoped the recognition would finally pave the way for his empanelment, only to be disappointed once again when his name was excluded from the list.
“I am unclear about the reasons for denying my empanelment… the process does not share the grounds for rejection with affected officers,” he said in the letter. “The lack of communication regarding the grounds for denial has left me feeling utterly demoralized over the past two years.”
Seeks Repatriation, Returns Medal in Protest
In the concluding part of the letter, Saxena expressed his intent to return to his parent Bihar cadre, and as a mark of protest, returned the President’s Medal itself.
“I am compelled to return the coveted Medal for Distinguished Services awarded by the Hon’ble President of India, as it would be inconsistent for me to accept it after being denied empanelment unfairly,” he wrote.
When contacted by ThePrint, Dr. Saxena declined to comment further on the issue.
Background on 360-Degree Review Process
Introduced in 2020, the 360-degree review system gathers feedback from a variety of sources, including peers, juniors, and retired officials, as part of the empanelment process for senior civil service posts. While the intent was to provide a more comprehensive evaluation, it has drawn criticism for lack of transparency, especially since the basis for rejection is not disclosed to officers under review.
