New Delhi: UPSC Cancels IAS Officer Puja Khedkar's Candidature Over Exam Irregularities

NEW DELHI: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has revoked provisional candidature of Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar trainee IAS officer, citing significant irregularities in her civil services exam 2022 application. Khedkar has been permanently barred from appearing in any future UPSC examinations.

The UPSC has examined available records carefully. It found her guilty of acting in contravention of provisions of CSE-2022 Rules. Her provisional candidature for CSE-2022 has been cancelled. She has also been debarred permanently from all future Examinations/Selections of UPSC stated the commission.

Khedkar, who secured all-India rank of 821 is accused of misusing her authority. She faked her identity to exceed permissible attempt limit in civil services examination. Delhi police registered FIR against her following complaint by UPSC.

"In backdrop of case of Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar UPSC has thoroughly examined available data of more than 15,000 finally recommended candidates of CSEs from year 2009 to 2023. This spans 15 years with respect to number of attempts availed by them. After this detailed exercise barring case of Ms. Khedkar, no other candidate found to have availed more attempts than permitted under CSE Rules. In lone case of Ms. Khedkar Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of UPSC could not detect her number of attempts. This primarily due to fact that she changed not only her name but also her parents’ name. UPSC is in process of further strengthening SOP to ensure that such case does not recur in future." UPSC added.

The UPSC's findings revealed Khedkar fraudulently availed attempts beyond permissible limit by altering her identity including changing her and her parents' names. She also changed her photograph, signature email ID, mobile number and address. UPSC had earlier issued her show-cause notice after reports suggested she used fake documents to prove physical disability.

Two weeks prior Khedkar was relieved from District Training Programme of Maharashtra government. She was recalled to Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie. There, her training was put on hold.

Meanwhile Delhi court is set to hear Khedkar's anticipatory bail plea. Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala adjourned hearing after public prosecutor requested more time.

In related incident, Pune court remanded Khedkar's mother Manorama Khedkar, to 14-day judicial custody in connection with criminal case linked to land dispute. Manorama Khedkar was arrested for allegedly threatening individuals with gun over dispute last year.

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