The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has cancelled the provisional candidature of Puja Khedkar, a trainee IAS officer, and debarred her from all future exams due to irregularities in the exam.
A statement by the government is ” The UPSC has examined the available records carefully and found her guilty of acting in contravention of the provisions of the CSE-2022 Rules. Her provisional candidature for the CSE-2022 has been cancelled and she has also been debarred permanently from all the future Examinations/Selections of the UPSC.”
Puja Khedkar availed more number of attempts than permitted under the Civil Services Examination (CSE) Rules by faking her identity.
A show cause notice was issued to Puja Khedkar on July 18, 2024, to which she failed to respond within the prescribed time.
The UPSC reviewed the data of over 15,000 candidates recommended for the civil service examinations from 2009 to 2023 and didn’t find any other candidate to have attempted the exam more times than permitted.
Puja Khedkar is accused of exploiting the disability and Other Backward Class (non-creamy layer) quotas to gain eligibility for the civil services examination.
A Delhi court is likely to pronounce its order on August 1 on the anticipatory bail plea of Puja Khedkar.
