"Changed Her Name, Also Parents' Names": UPSC On How Puja Khedkar Cheated

Puja Khedkar - the former IAS trainee officer who lied about visual and mental disabilities, and faked her identity, to pass the Civil Services entrance exam - attempted the uber-competitive qualifying test more than the six times permitted for a general category candidate.

She did so by changing her name, and that of her parents, which is why the Union Public Services Commission, which administers the exam, could not detect the violation.

On the question of fake certificates - one claiming a physical disability and the other membership of an OBC, or Other Backward Class, the UPSC said it had only carried out a "preliminary scrutiny" of Ms Khedkar's papers during the application process last year.

This included checking if the certificate was issued by a competent authority, but not a review of the grounds on which it was issued. "Generally, the certificate is taken as genuine..." the UPSC said, noting it had "neither the mandate nor wherewithal" to check the many thousands submitted every year.

The UPSC, on Wednesday afternoon, said it had revoked Ms Khedkar's selection as a junior government officer and debarred her from sitting for the UPSC exam in the future.

READ | UPSC Cancels Puja Khedkar's IAS Selection, Bans Her From Taking Exam Ever

The central body said Ms Khedkar had been served a notice for "fraudulently availing attempts, beyond the permissible limit provided for in the examination rules, by faking her identity".

The UPSC said it had given Puja Khedkar time till 3.30 pm on Tuesday to respond to its notices, in which it was "categorically made clear" that she would have no further opportunity to make her case, and that action would be taken even if no explanation were offered from her side.

"Despite extension in time allowed to her, she failed to submit her explanation within the prescribed time... the UPSC examined available records carefully and found her guilty of acting in contravention of the provisions of (rules)... her provisional candidature has been cancelled."

The UPSC said it had also reviewed data from 15,000 other candidates between 2009 and 2023 "with respect to number of attempts availed by them" and found no other violation of the rules.

Following her 'selection', she had been posted to Pune as an Assistant Collector. She was then transferred to Washim district before being recalled to the training institute in Uttarakhand.

READ | UPSC Cracks Down, Says Puja Khedkar Faked Identity, Parents' Names

Early this month the UPSC had issued a 'show cause' notice to Ms Khedkar, whose violations were exposed after it emerged she had secured perks beyond her pay grade, such as a siren for her private vehicle (an Audi luxury sedan) and a 'Government of Maharashtra' sticker for the car.

Once those allegations surfaced, they were followed by others that said she used a fake disability certificate - from a district hospital in Pipri that diagnosed her with an "old ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear with left knee instability" - to qualify for the IAS.

READ | "Someone Doubted...": Doctor On Trainee Officer's Disability Claim

That was despite a very modest all-India rank of 841 in the entrance test.

Then her claim to an OBC 'non-creamy layer' tag was found to be invalid after it emerged her father, Dilip Khedkar, a former Maharashtra government officer, had property worth Rs 40 crore.

Also last month Ms Khedkar, largely silent since the row, except for saying government rules forbid her from commenting, counter-attacked by accusing Pune Collector Suhas Divase of harassment.

Mr Divase has denied all charges.