In the wake of the controversy surrounding former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, the Department of Personnel and Training-DoPT has decided to scrutinise the disability certificates of six civil servants, including probationers and serving officials. This action follows allegations that Khedkar submitted false disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to gain selection advantages.
Investigation by Medical Board
The DoPT has requested the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) to re-examine the disability status of these candidates through a medical board. The scrutiny was prompted by concerns raised on social media regarding the authenticity of the medical certificates of these six individuals.
UPSC Rules and Allegations
According to UPSC rules, candidates must have a minimum of 40 per cent disability to be eligible for reservation benefits. These benefits include relaxation in age limits, number of attempts, and special provisions at exam centres for specially-abled candidates.
Puja Khedkar obtained a 7 per cent locomotor disability certificate from Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) Hospital in 2022, despite the physiotherapy department reporting no disability. She allegedly used this certificate to appear for the civil service exam more times than allowed, violating the rules.
Actions Taken Against Khedkar
Earlier this week, the UPSC canceled Khedkar’s candidature in the 2022 civil services examination (CSE) and barred her from future exams. The Delhi Police have registered a case against her following a complaint from the UPSC.
UPSC’s Response
The UPSC reviewed data from over 15,000 candidates and confirmed that no other candidate apart from Khedkar had exceeded the permissible number of attempts. The discrepancies were primarily due to her changing her name and her parents’ names.
Regarding the submission of false certificates, the UPSC stated that it performs preliminary scrutiny and considers certificates issued by competent authorities as genuine. “The UPSC neither has the mandate nor the wherewithal to check the veracity of thousands of certificates submitted by candidates every year,” it said.
The investigation into the disability certificates of six civil servants comes as part of a broader effort to ensure the integrity of the selection process following the Puja Khedkar controversy. The re-examination by the medical board will determine the authenticity of these certificates and address any potential misuse of reservation benefits.
