New Delhi, July 31: In a significant move, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has cancelled the provisional candidature of trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar for the Civil Services Examination (CSE)-2022 and has permanently debarred her from all future examinations and selections. This decision comes after Khedkar was found guilty of faking her identity to exceed the permissible number of attempts.
UPSC Investigation and Decision
The UPSC, in its statement on Wednesday, detailed the process leading to this decision. After receiving complaints, the Commission scrutinized the records of over 15,000 candidates from the last 15 years. Puja Khedkar was found to have fraudulently availed of attempts beyond the limit set by the CSE-2022 rules by changing her identity and even her parents’ names.
Show Cause Notice and Response
On July 18, 2024, the UPSC issued a Show Cause Notice (SCN) to Puja Khedkar, asking her to explain the discrepancies. Khedkar requested an extension to gather necessary documents, which was granted until July 30, 2024. Despite this extension, she failed to submit her response by the deadline, leading the Commission to take decisive action.
Examination of Past Candidates
To ensure the integrity of the examination process, the UPSC reviewed data from 2009 to 2023. This extensive review revealed no other cases of candidates exceeding their attempt limits under false pretenses. The only exception was Khedkar, whose identity changes initially bypassed the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). The Commission is now working on strengthening these procedures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
False Certificates and Scrutiny
Addressing concerns about false certificates, particularly regarding OBC and PwBD categories, the UPSC clarified its role. The Commission conducts preliminary checks to verify if certificates are issued by competent authorities and meet basic criteria. However, in-depth verification is typically the responsibility of other mandated authorities.
This case underscores the UPSC’s commitment to maintaining the integrity and fairness of its examinations. By taking stringent action against Puja Khedkar, the Commission aims to uphold its standards and ensure that such breaches do not recur in the future.
