NEW DELHI: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has taken swift action against controversial trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar who came under public scanner after she demanded privileges that she was not eligible for including filing a First Information Report (FIR) with the Delhi Police filing for criminal prosecution and issuing a show-cause notice asking why her candidature should not be cancelled. UPSC's action against Khedkar came hours after the Maharashtra government submitted a report to the central government's Department of Personnel and Training.

The UPSC has issued a press release stating that it has conducted a detailed and thorough investigation into the misdemeanour of Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, a provisionally recommended candidate for the Civil Services Examination 2022. This investigation revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the examination rules by faking her identity by changing her name, her father’s & mother’s name, her photograph/ signature, her email ID, mobile number and address.

It further says, that the UPSC has, initiated a series of actions against her, including Criminal Prosecution by filing an FIR and has issued a Show Cause Notice (SCN) for cancellation of her candidature of the Civil Services Examination-2022/ debarment from future examinations/ selections, in accordance with the Rules of the Civil Services Examination-2022.

The release also said that UPSC has deservedly earned the trust and credibility of a very high order from the public, especially the candidates. The Commission is unequivocally committed to ensuring that such a high order of trust and credibility remains intact and uncompromised.

Apart from the allegations by UPSC Khedkar is also being scrutinised for using fake disability certificates to qualify for the IAS despite a very modest all-India rank of 841 in the entrance test. So far it has come to light that she first attempted to secure fake certificates, by approaching Aundh government hospital in Pune in 2022 which turned down her request, but she got the certificate from Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital, Pimpri, which granted her a 'Disability Certificate' and diagnosed her with an "old ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear with left knee instability". 

UPSC will now await Khedkar's reply to the show cause notice, however considering the several discrepancies and inconsistencies in her case it seems plausible that she could be found guilty and risks being dismissed from the civil services.