Puja Khedkar’s IAS Candidature Canceled by UPSC for Quota Misuse
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially canceled the provisional candidature of Puja Khedkar, a trainee IAS officer. This decision, made public on Wednesday, is a result of Khedkar’s misuse of quotas and falsification of her identity.
Controversial Candidature: What Went Wrong
Puja Khedkar’s selection as an IAS officer was revoked after a thorough investigation by UPSC. Khedkar was found guilty of misusing disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) quotas to secure her position in the civil services exam. The Commission’s statement confirmed that Khedkar had violated the rules set forth in the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022.
UPSC’s Decision and Immediate Actions
The UPSC’s detailed review revealed Khedkar’s serious contravention of examination rules. According to the official statement, Khedkar’s provisional candidature has been canceled, and she has been permanently barred from appearing in any future UPSC examinations.
“UPSC has examined the available records carefully and found her guilty of acting in contravention of the provisions of the CSE-2022 Rules,” the statement read. “Her provisional candidature for the CSE-2022 has been canceled, and she has also been debarred permanently from all the future Examinations/Selections of the UPSC.”
Show Cause Notice and Final Deadline
A Show Cause Notice (SCN) was issued to Khedkar on July 18. The notice accused her of fraudulently extending her attempts beyond the permissible limit by faking her identity. Despite an extended deadline until July 30, Khedkar failed to submit her explanation.
“Despite the extension in time allowed to her, she failed to submit her explanation within the prescribed time,” the UPSC panel said.
Legal and Police Action
In addition to UPSC’s decision, Khedkar is facing legal action by the Delhi Police Crime Branch. She has been booked under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including section 420 (cheating), 464 (forgery), 465 (making a false document), and 471 (using forged documents as genuine). Charges under sections 89 and 91 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act and section 66D of the Information Technology Act were also filed.
Background and Transfer
Khedkar, a 2023-batch IAS officer, was previously serving as a probationary assistant collector at the Pune district collectorate. Earlier this month, she was transferred to Washim from Pune amid the ongoing allegations. Reports suggest that during her tenure in Pune, Khedkar misused her authority by demanding unentitled perks and privileges.
Family Implications
Adding to the controversy, Khedkar’s mother, Manorama Khedkar, is currently in judicial custody related to a land dispute case.
Share this:
Discover more from Latest News, Breaking News, National News, World News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
