The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has filed a criminal case against trainee officer Puja Khedkar. The 32-year-old IAS aspirant, who secured a respectable All India Rank of 821 in the prestigious civil services examination, has found herself at the center of a major scandal that has rocked the very foundations of India’s esteemed bureaucratic system.
According to a statement released by the UPSC, the commission has taken swift and decisive action against Khedkar, initiating a series of measures that include the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) with the police authorities and the issuance of a show-cause notice for the cancellation of her candidature in the Civil Services Examination-2022. Additionally, the UPSC has barred Khedkar from participating in any future examinations or selections related to the civil services.
Allegations of exam fraud and identity tampering
The UPSC’s investigation into the matter has revealed that Khedkar had allegedly engaged in a brazen act of fraud, fraudulently availing herself of attempts beyond the permissible limit under the examination rules. Shockingly, the commission found that Khedkar had gone to great lengths to fake her identity, changing her name, her parents’ names, her photograph, signature, email ID, mobile number, and even her address in order to circumvent the rules and secure additional exam attempts.
The UPSC’s statement emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting that the commission “stringently adheres to its Constitutional mandate” and conducts all its processes, including examinations, with the “highest possible order of due diligence” to maintain the integrity and credibility of the system. The commission expressed its unwavering commitment to ensuring that the public’s trust in the UPSC remains intact, stating that it will not tolerate any compromise in this regard.
Khedkar’s controversial tenure as a trainee IAS Officer
Khedkar’s troubles, however, do not end with the UPSC’s actions. Prior to this latest development, she had already found herself embroiled in a separate controversy during her posting as a trainee IAS officer in Pune, Maharashtra. It was alleged that she had misused her privileges, including the use of a red-blue beacon on her private Audi car and making unauthorized demands for perks and privileges, and she had even filed a counter-complaint.
As the scandal unfolded, additional allegations surfaced against Khedkar, further tarnishing her reputation. An activist cited an RTI report that allegedly revealed that Khedkar had forged her documents to secure her UPSC selection under the OBC non-creamy layer quota. She was also accused of faking a disability to gain an unfair advantage in the selection process.
The UPSC’s decisive action against Khedkar has set the stage for further legal and administrative proceedings. The commission has appointed a one-member panel to investigate the documents submitted by Khedkar, and the matter has also led to an FIR being filed against her parents for allegedly threatening farmers in a separate incident. The UPSC’s swift response to this scandal underscores its unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and fairness in the civil services selection process. By taking such strong measures, the commission has sent a clear message that it will not tolerate any attempts to undermine the sanctity of the examination system or the public’s trust in the Indian bureaucracy.
