Akash Bobba, a 22-year-old engineer of Indian origin, has found himself at the center of a firestorm of controversy after being hired by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The agency, led by Musk, has come under intense scrutiny for hiring six young engineers, all between the ages of 19 and 24, and giving them unprecedented access to highly sensitive government systems.
Bobba’s credentials are impressive. He was a top student at UC Berkeley, where he participated in the Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology (MET) program, a selective initiative designed to groom future leaders in the tech industry. During his time at Berkeley, Bobba impressed many with his abilities as a coder, securing internships with major companies like Meta, Palantir, and Bridgewater Associates. He worked on projects involving artificial intelligence, data analytics, and financial modeling, gaining valuable experience and making a name for himself in Silicon Valley.
One of the most well-known stories about Bobba’s skills comes from his time at Berkeley. A classmate, Charis Zhang, shared an incident on social media that quickly went viral. Zhang explained how, just days before a crucial project deadline, Bobba managed to rewrite an entire project from scratch after a teammate accidentally deleted the code. Bobba completed the task overnight, presenting a more refined version of the project, which earned them a top grade in the class. This episode has become a defining moment in Bobba’s career, highlighting his remarkable problem-solving abilities and resilience under pressure.
However, while Bobba’s academic and professional track record is stellar, his hiring by DOGE has sparked serious concerns. The young engineers, including Bobba, have been given access to classified government systems, raising alarms among national security experts. These engineers, most of whom are fresh graduates with little to no experience in government or public service, have been granted high-level security clearances, typically reserved for seasoned officials with years of experience and extensive background checks.
Critics argue that this represents a risky gamble with the country’s security. They believe that allowing young individuals with limited experience in government operations to access sensitive data could have serious consequences. At least four of the six engineers, including Bobba, have been granted access to government IT infrastructure, which experts say could put critical information at risk. Concerns have also been raised over whether the team has the necessary skills and maturity to manage the complex tasks and high-stakes decisions that come with their positions.
To make matters worse, reports surfaced that some members of the DOGE team had attempted to access classified materials at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), one of the country’s most important federal agencies. When top security officials caught wind of this attempt, they intervened, blocking access and placing the security officials involved on leave. These developments have only intensified concerns about the oversight and accountability within DOGE.
Public policy experts, including Don Moynihan, a professor at the University of Michigan, have voiced alarm over the lack of oversight and the unprecedented nature of the situation. In an interview with WIRED, Moynihan expressed concern that these individuals, with no experience in public service, have gained access to some of the country’s most sensitive government data. “You have individuals who are not career public officials gaining access to some of the most sensitive government data. Congress has no real ability to intervene or monitor what’s happening,” Moynihan said.
While Musk and his supporters argue that DOGE is a necessary step toward modernizing and streamlining government operations, critics see it as a dangerous experiment. Some have raised doubts about whether this initiative could jeopardize national security by giving inexperienced individuals access to critical government functions.
As the controversy intensifies, it seems likely that Congress will be forced to step in to examine the role and responsibilities of the DOGE team. Whether Bobba and his fellow engineers will continue in their roles, or whether the initiative will be scaled back or dismantled, remains to be seen. The future of Musk’s ambitious experiment in government reform—and the fate of the young engineers who are at the heart of it—remains uncertain as scrutiny grows.
