UPSC seeks to expunge candidature of trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has initiated some measures against IAS probationer named Puja Khedkar and her involvement in fraud concerning the Civil Services Examination-2022. UPSC also elaborated that it found that Khedkar had attempted to take the examination more than the allowed number of tries through identity fraud. This range from her changing her name, her parents name, the photograph, signature, email ID, mobile number and address.

Instead, UPSC submitted legal proceedings against Khedkar and filed an FIR with the police and, besides, it issued her a show cause notice asking for the cancellation of candidature of the 2022 exam. Also, UPSC recommended that she should be barred from future examinations and selections following the rules of Civil Services Examination for the year 2022. The Commission also underlined its devotion to the constitutional standards and ensuring the examinations’ legitimacy, professionalism, and reliability.

Earlier, the Maharashtra government’s General Administrative Department or GAD headed by Nitin Gadre had filed a report to the Department of Personnel and Training or DoPT of the Union government. Other allegations against Khedkar that were discussed in this report included a scandal concerning her ill-use of government symbolic badges and conflict with a senior officer regarding official stationery.

UPSC insisted on the fact it follows particular procedures it has set to ensure that all the examination are free from all sorts of malpractice hence the public has a lot of confidence in its exams. The Commission reaffirmed this stand of it to uphold this trust and credibility without compromise.

With regards to the case of Puja Khedkar, there have been questions relating to the credibility of the civil services examination procedures and all the measures required to maintain its purity. These and similar measures suggest that accused of fraud is acutely aware of its responsibility to remove unfair practices to preserve the very credibility of India’s civil services.