New Delhi:
Puja Khedkar – the previous IAS trainee officer who lied about visible and psychological disabilities, and faked her identification, to cross the Civil Companies entrance examination – tried the uber-competitive qualifying take a look at greater than the six occasions permitted for a normal class candidate.
She did so by altering her title, and that of her mother and father, which is why the Union Public Companies Fee, which administers the examination, couldn’t detect the violation.
On the query of pretend certificates – one claiming a bodily incapacity and the opposite membership of an OBC, or Different Backward Class, the UPSC mentioned it had solely carried out a “preliminary scrutiny” of Ms Khedkar’s papers throughout the utility course of final yr.
This included checking if the certificates was issued by a reliable authority, however not a evaluation of the grounds on which it was issued. “Typically, the certificates is taken as real…” the UPSC mentioned, noting it had “neither the mandate nor wherewithal” to verify the various hundreds submitted yearly.
The UPSC, on Wednesday afternoon, mentioned it had revoked Ms Khedkar’s choice as a junior authorities officer and debarred her from sitting for the UPSC examination sooner or later.
READ | UPSC Cancels Puja Khedkar’s IAS Choice, Bans Her From Taking Examination Ever
The central physique mentioned Ms Khedkar had been served a discover for “fraudulently availing makes an attempt, past the permissible restrict supplied for within the examination guidelines, by faking her identification”.
The UPSC mentioned it had given Puja Khedkar time until 3.30 pm on Tuesday to answer its notices, wherein it was “categorically made clear” that she would haven’t any additional alternative to make her case, and that motion can be taken even when no rationalization have been supplied from her aspect.
“Regardless of extension in time allowed to her, she did not submit her rationalization throughout the prescribed time… the UPSC examined out there information fastidiously and located her responsible of performing in contravention of the provisions of (guidelines)… her provisional candidature has been cancelled.”
The UPSC mentioned it had additionally reviewed information from 15,000 different candidates between 2009 and 2023 “with respect to variety of makes an attempt availed by them” and located no different violation of the principles.
Following her ‘choice’, she had been posted to Pune as an Assistant Collector. She was then transferred to Washim district earlier than being recalled to the coaching institute in Uttarakhand.
READ | UPSC Cracks Down, Says Puja Khedkar Faked Id, Dad and mom’ Names
Early this month the UPSC had issued a ‘present trigger’ discover to Ms Khedkar, whose violations have been uncovered after it emerged she had secured perks past her pay grade, similar to a siren for her personal automobile (an Audi luxurious sedan) and a ‘Authorities of Maharashtra’ sticker for the automobile.
As soon as these allegations surfaced, they have been adopted by others that mentioned she used a faux incapacity certificates – from a district hospital in Pipri that recognized her with an “previous ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear with left knee instability” – to qualify for the IAS.
READ | “Somebody Doubted…”: Physician On Trainee Officer’s Incapacity Declare
That was regardless of a really modest all-India rank of 841 within the entrance take a look at.
Then her declare to an OBC ‘non-creamy layer’ tag was discovered to be invalid after it emerged her father, Dilip Khedkar, a former Maharashtra authorities officer, had property price Rs 40 crore.
Additionally final month Ms Khedkar, largely silent for the reason that row, apart from saying authorities guidelines forbid her from commenting, counter-attacked by accusing Pune Collector Suhas Divase of harassment.
Mr Divase has denied all costs.
