The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has annulled the provisional candidature of Puja Khedkar and imposed a permanent ban on her from appearing in any future UPSC exams, according to officials.
Khedkar, a trainee IAS officer, is accused of abusing disability and Other Backward Class (non-creamy layer) quotas to gain an unfair advantage in the civil services examination.
The UPSC’s decision follows a comprehensive review of Khedkar’s eligibility and the circumstances of her application. The commission found her guilty of breaching the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022 rules.
“After a thorough examination of the available records, UPSC has determined that she acted contrary to the provisions of CSE-2022 Rules. Consequently, her provisional candidature has been cancelled, and she has been permanently barred from all future UPSC examinations,” read an official statement from the UPSC.
The statement further noted that a Show Cause Notice (SCN) was issued to Khedkar on July 18 for fraudulently exceeding the allowed number of attempts by “faking her identity.” The deadline for her response was extended to July 30, with the commission specifying that this extension was final and no further delays would be entertained.
“Despite the extension, she did not provide her explanation within the specified timeframe,” the panel added.
Khedkar is also facing legal action from the Delhi Police Crime Branch, which has charged her with misusing the disability and Other Backward Class quotas. The charges include sections 420 (cheating), 464 (making a document in the name of a fictitious person), 465 (forgery), and 471 (using a forged document as genuine) of the IPC, as well as sections 89 and 91 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act and section 66D of the Information Technology Act.
The 2023-batch IAS officer was previously serving as a probationary assistant collector at the Pune district collectorate but was transferred to Washim earlier this month amid the allegations. During her tenure in Pune, she reportedly misused her position by demanding unauthorised perks and privileges. Her mother, Manorama Khedkar, is also in judicial custody in connection with a land dispute case.
