Maharashtra's trainee IAS Puja Khedkar (34 years old) is embroiled in controversy. Every day brings startling new revelations about Puja. Multiple disability certificates were applied for at different addresses and in different cities. Puja made use of disability certificates from events in her academic journey to securing a job with UPSC and has benefited from the quota. A central government panel has been formed to investigate the matter regarding Puja’s job, with a report expected within two weeks.
In the meantime, the medical board of Pimpri's Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital has made it clear that Puja Khedkar does not suffer from a major physical disability. The board says that Puja has a disability of 7 percent. To qualify for a quota in any job, a candidate must have a disability of 40 percent. Dean Rajendra Wable from YCM asserts that 7 percent implies there is no significant disability in the body. Dr. Wable stated that on August 24, 2022, Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar was referred to them for a case of locomotor disability. He mentioned that she has an old ACL injury on her left knee, which constitutes a permanent disability of 7 percent.
When and where did Puja obtain certificates?
Breaking the mold of perseverance and dedication, it becomes evident that Puja Khedkar has indeed used a reserved quota for the disabled in her journey to become an IAS officer. Insights reveal that she attempted to acquire the necessary medical certificates from various government hospitals across Maharashtra, providing different addresses for each.
Source: aajtak
- Puja received disability certificates twice from the Ahmednagar district hospital at her home village address in Pathardi tehsil. The 2018 certificate indicated mental disability, while the 2021 document detected visual and mental disabilities. However, for the UPSC examination in 2022, she provided an address at Chanakya Housing Society in Gokhale Nagar, Pune.
In her quest for the disability certificate, Puja also applied at the YCM Hospital of Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, giving an address in the Tathawade area. The medical opinion there was that Puja had neither an eye disease nor any mental illness. Nonetheless, on August 24, 2022, doctors at YCM issued a certificate stating Puja has a 7% disability due to an injury in her left leg.
In October 2022, Puja applied for a disability certificate at the Aundh District Hospital in Pune, but doctors dismissed the application upon discovering she had already received a certificate from YCM Hospital. Subsequently, Puja Khedkar submitted an old certificate from 2021 to the UPSC, claiming visual impairment and mental illness, despite initial objections. Remarkably, Puja's certificate was eventually accepted in a surprising turn of events.
A riveting tale of ambition, the journey of Puja Khedkar, from acquiring suspicious certificates across different cities to landing a position as an IAS officer, hints at a labyrinth of disparities between her actions and the required eligibility for the prestigious UPSC exams. This raises eyebrows on the legitimacy of her status - a tale that promises to unfold in layers as investigations progress.
Source: aajtak
