UPSC Cancels Puja Khedkar’s IAS Selection and Permanently Debars Her from Exam

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has canceled the selection of Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar as a trainee IAS officer and permanently barred her from all future UPSC examinations. The decision comes after an investigation revealed that Khedkar had faked her identity to exceed the permissible number of attempts for the Civil Services Examination (CSE).

In a statement, the UPSC disclosed that Khedkar, 34, was issued a Show Cause Notice on July 18, 2024, for fraudulently availing additional attempts by altering her identity, including her name and her parents’ names. Despite being granted an extension to respond by July 30, she failed to provide an explanation, leading to the cancellation of her provisional candidature for CSE-2022 and a permanent ban from UPSC exams.

The UPSC emphasized its commitment to upholding the integrity of the examination process. Following the Khedkar incident, a comprehensive review of over 15,000 candidates who passed the IAS screening between 2009 and 2023 was conducted. No other instances of exceeding attempt limits were found.

The incident has prompted UPSC to further strengthen its Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to prevent future occurrences of such fraud. The commission clarified that it relies on certificates issued by competent authorities and is not mandated to verify the authenticity of thousands of documents submitted annually.

Khedkar’s fraudulent activities came to light after Pune Collector Suhas Diwase raised concerns over her demands for unauthorized perks during her probation. Subsequent investigations revealed misuse of relaxed criteria for OBC and disability exemptions, disqualifying her from the OBC non-creamy layer status due to her family’s substantial assets. Her failure to complete a mandatory health check-up further compounded the discrepancies.

The UPSC remains dedicated to ensuring a fair and transparent selection process for all candidates.