Puja Khedkar is no longer an IAS officer. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has revoked her trainee IAS position. Furthermore, she has been permanently barred from taking the UPSC exams.
Puja has been the subject of various allegations over the past few months, prompting this severe action by the UPSC.
UPSC's statement confirmed a thorough examination of all records, finding Puja guilty of violating the 2022 Civil Services Exam Rules (CSE-Rules).
Her provisional candidature for the 2023 batch of probationary IAS officers has been canceled. Additionally, she is barred from future UPSC exams and selections.
Why was Puja Khedkar Disqualified?
UPSC examined records of over 15,000 candidates between 2009 and 2023. Puja was the only candidate who exceeded the allowed number of attempts.
The primary reason Puja evaded detection was her tactic of changing not only her name but also her parents’ names for different attempts. UPSC aims to strengthen SOPs to prevent such incidents.
On July 18, UPSC issued a show-cause notice to Puja, requiring her response by July 25. She requested an extension until August 4, leading UPSC to grant time until July 30, stressing it was her final chance. Despite this, Puja failed to provide a satisfactory explanation.
Source: aajtak
How Did She Lose Her Position After Passing the Exam?
Puja passed the UPSC exam in 2022, securing the 841st rank, and was an IAS officer from the 2023 batch, having started her training in June 2024.
This situation makes one wonder how her position was nullified post-exam. As a provisional candidate, her initial posting was temporary to allow for eligibility and document verification. If discrepancies or forged documents are discovered, UPSC invalidates the candidature.
In cases where incorrect documents are presented, the candidate faces consequences under CSE rules, including disqualification and possible bans from future exams.
In Puja's case, although she passed the exams, discrepancies found during verification led UPSC to bar her from all future exams permanently.
When Can Candidature Be Revoked?
Civil Services Exam Rules outline numerous infractions that can lead to the cancellation of a candidate’s eligibility, including:
Bribery
Threats or blackmail
Submission of fake or incongruous documents
False claims or concealment of essential information
Influencing or intimidating examiners
Tampering with question papers
Writing obscene content in exam scripts
Misconduct in the examination hall
Carrying mobile phones, smartwatches, cameras, Bluetooth devices, or pen drives into the exam hall
Source: aajtak
What is the Procedure?
When candidates take the UPSC exam, their documents are initially scrutinized. Following successful exam and interview stages, the candidate's document verification is performed again before final posting.
For example, if a candidate claims disability, they must undergo medical examination by AIIMS doctors. If discrepancies are found, UPSC cancels the candidature and may impose temporary or permanent bans.
Candidates are always given a chance to present their case. If UPSC is not convinced by the response, appropriate actions are taken based on the rules.
How Was Puja Khedkar Caught?
In June this year, Puja was appointed as a probationary assistant collector in Pune. However, she soon began making unreasonable demands, including installing red and blue beacons on her Audi car, typically reserved for senior officers.
Pune's collector, Suhas Divse, lodged a complaint that resulted in her transfer to Washim. Subsequent investigations revealed that Puja had used multiple fraudulent documents to secure selection in UPSC.
It was also discovered that Puja falsely claimed mental health issues and procured a forged disability certificate. Her disability certificate listed an incorrect address.
Additionally, there were inconsistencies in her age declaration, claiming to be 30 years old in a 2020 CAT application but 31 in a 2023 application. She exceeded the OBC candidate's attempt limit by altering her and her parents' names.
A major allegation against Puja involved misusing the OBC non-creamy layer quota. Despite her and her family’s sizeable fortune, she concealed her assets to falsely claim the quota benefits, which require parents' annual income to be below 8 lakh.
