MHI Inquiry Officer Empanelment 2026: Apply by 31 March
The Ministry of Heavy Industries has invited retired Senior Administrative Grade officers to empanel themselves as Inquiry Officers for conducting departmental inquiries against delinquent officials. The MHI Inquiry Officer Empanelment 2026 was issued on 17 March 2026 by the Vigilance Section, with applications open until 31 March 2026 by email. If you are a retired Central Government SAG officer, or an equivalent officer from a State Government or PSU, this is a paid empanelment opportunity directly with the Ministry.
Quick Glance
Last date 31 Mar 2026 · By MHI Vigilance · Mode Empanelment · Apply via Email · Position Inquiry Officer
Overview
Issuing Authority — Ministry of Heavy Industries, Vigilance Section, Government of India
Notice Type — Empanelment of retired officers as Inquiry Officers
File Number — F. No. 13-31/3/2026-Vig
Position — Inquiry Officer for departmental inquiries
Engagement — Empanelment (panel-based engagement, not regular service)
Application Mode — Email submission with PPO copy
Honorarium — As per DOPT OM No. 1668597747466 dated 16 November 2022
Issued by — Gopal Biswas, Under Secretary to GoI (Tel: 23061709)
Important Dates
Date | Event |
|---|---|
17 March 2026 | Circular issued |
31 March 2026 | Last date to submit application by email |
Eligibility
The applicant must have retired from a Ministry or Department under the Government of India, a State Government, or a Public Sector Undertaking.
The retiring rank must be not below Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) in the Central Government, or an equivalent rank in a State Government or PSU.
The applicant must be eligible for appointment as an Inquiry Officer per the terms and conditions in DOPT OM No. 142/40/2015-AVD.I dated 15 September 2017.
A copy of the Pension Payment Order (PPO) must accompany the application as proof of retirement.
Selection Process
Empanelment is decided by a Committee comprising three Joint Secretary-level officers, including the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of the concerned Ministry, Department, or PSU. The Committee reviews each application against the DOPT eligibility framework before adding the officer to the empanelled list. Empanelment is the listing stage only — actual inquiry assignments come case by case.
Important Point
Applications must be sent by email only to gopal.b13[at]nic.in — no postal or in-person submission is invited in the circular.
Without a copy of the Pension Payment Order (PPO) attached, the application is incomplete and may be rejected.
The form asks whether any penalty was imposed during service — non-disclosure can disqualify the application even after empanelment.
Both superannuation and voluntary retirement are accepted; the form simply records which one applies to you.
Past Inquiry Officer experience is asked for in the form but is not stated as mandatory in the circular; relevant experience is, however, useful at the committee review stage.
How to Apply
Download the Annexure (application proforma) attached to the MHI Vigilance circular dated 17 March 2026.
Fill in your name in capital letters, your date of retirement, and the Ministry and posts you held during service.
Declare prior Inquiry Officer assignments — answer Yes or No, and if Yes, list each assignment with details.
State whether you retired on superannuation or by voluntary retirement.
Declare whether any penalty was imposed during your service — answer Yes or No, with details if Yes.
Sign the form and add your permanent or present address along with a contact phone number.
Attach a clear copy of your Pension Payment Order (PPO).
Email the completed application and the PPO copy to gopal.b13[at]nic.in so it reaches by 31 March 2026.
Important Instructions
Eligibility and engagement terms strictly follow DOPT OM No. 142/40/2015-AVD.I dated 15 September 2017.
Honorarium and other allowances payable to Inquiry Officers are governed by DOPT OM No. 1668597747466 dated 16 November 2022.
Empanelment does not guarantee assignment — inquiries are allotted case by case from the empanelled list.
Applications received after 31 March 2026 are unlikely to be considered for the current empanelment cycle.
Eligibility at a Glance
Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
Retirement status | Must be retired from government / PSU service |
Last grade in service | SAG in Central Government, or equivalent in State Government / PSU |
Type of retirement | Superannuation or voluntary retirement (both accepted) |
Penalty during service | Must be disclosed — undisclosed penalty can disqualify |
DOPT eligibility framework | OM No. 142/40/2015-AVD.I dated 15 September 2017 |
Documentation required | Annexure proforma + Pension Payment Order (PPO) copy |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a State Government or PSU officer apply for MHI Inquiry Officer empanelment?
Yes — retired officers from State Governments or Public Sector Undertakings are eligible, provided their rank at retirement was equivalent to Senior Administrative Grade in the Central Government and they meet the DOPT OM dated 15 September 2017 conditions.
Is the Inquiry Officer assignment a permanent posting?
No. This is an empanelment, not a regular appointment — empanelled officers are assigned individual departmental inquiries on a case-by-case basis, and honorarium is paid per inquiry under the DOPT 16 November 2022 rate framework.
How is the honorarium for an Inquiry Officer assignment decided?
Honorarium and allowances are governed by DOPT OM No. 1668597747466 dated 16 November 2022, the standard rate framework that ministries follow when engaging retired officers as Inquiry Officers.
What happens if a penalty was imposed on me during service?
The form asks for full disclosure of any penalty imposed during service, with details. Non-disclosure can lead to disqualification, while the existence of a past penalty itself is reviewed by the empanelment committee against the DOPT eligibility framework — so disclose, do not conceal.
Source
Source: Ministry of Heavy Industries, Vigilance Section circular F. No. 13-31/3/2026-Vig dated 17 March 2026.
Final Words
The MHI Inquiry Officer Empanelment 2026 is a focused, time-bound call — open only until 31 March 2026 — and relevant only to retired SAG-level officers from the Centre or equivalent ranks from States and PSUs. If you meet the DOPT eligibility framework, applying with a complete Annexure and PPO copy is straightforward. For the latest updates, keep visiting SarkariWorld.org.