UPSC moves to cancel candidature of trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar

On Friday, July 19, Puja Khedkar, an IAS probationer, received a show-cause letter from the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) demanding that her candidature for the Civil Services Exam-2022 be withdrawn and that she be barred from taking any further tests.

In a statement, the commission stated that it had carried out a comprehensive and in-depth inquiry into the misdemeanour of Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, a candidate for the Civil Services Examination 2022 who was provisionally recommended.

It has come to light from this inquiry that she falsely obtained more tries than were permitted by the examination guidelines by impersonating someone else and altering her name, mother's and father's names, photo, signature, email address, mobile number, and address.

The statement read, 'By the rules of the Civil Services Examination-2022, the UPSC initiated a series of actions against her, including criminal prosecution by filing a First Information Report (FIR) with the police authorities and has issued a show cause notice for cancellation of her candidature of the Civil Services Examination-2022 and debarment from future examinations, selections.'

The Commission has said that it strictly complies with the requirements of the Constitution and that it approaches every procedure it undertakes, including exams, with the utmost care and thoroughness.

'The UPSC has deservedly earned the trust and credibility of a very high order from the public, especially the candidates, by ensuring the sanctity and integrity of all its examination processes with the utmost fairness and strict observance of rules,' the Commission continued.

It further stated that it is resolutely devoted to making sure that such a high degree of credibility and confidence is maintained.

The Maharashtra government's general administrative department (GAD), led by additional chief secretary Nitin Gadre, sent its report on the numerous accusations against Khedkar to the Union government's Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) earlier on Thursday, July 18.

The one-member committee of the Centre investigating the matter, led by additional secretary Manoj Diwedi, also received the report. Following the revelation that Khedkar had an amber beacon installed and the state government emblem placed on the Audi she drove to work, as well as her disagreement with a senior official on the usage of the latter's office, Khedkar courted controversy.

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