Former IAS trainee Puja Khedkar has approached the Delhi High Court, requesting that seven of her 12 attempts at the highly competitive Civil Services examination be disregarded. Ms. Khedkar, who has previously acknowledged these attempts, is now arguing that they should not be counted due to her physical disability.
Ms. Khedkar, who claims a 47 percent disability from an “old ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear with left knee instability,” has presented a certificate from a Maharashtra hospital to substantiate her condition. The government benchmark for disability in such cases is 40 percent. She contends that her attempts should be counted under the ‘divyang’ category, which is the government’s term for persons with disabilities, rather than as a general category candidate. If her plea is accepted, her number of confirmed attempts would be reduced to five—four fewer than the limit for persons with disabilities and one less than that for general category candidates.
The case has garnered significant attention due to allegations that Ms. Khedkar lied about her physical and mental disabilities, changed her name and surname, and forged an OBC certificate to clear the exam. These accusations were brought to light in June after it was revealed that she had obtained perks beyond her entitlement, such as a siren and a ‘Government of Maharashtra’ sticker for her private vehicle.
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Ms. Khedkar is currently seeking anticipatory bail as she faces criminal charges, including forgery and cheating. Her plea was initially rejected by a city court on August 1, with the court dismissing her claims of an “imminent threat of arrest.” She then approached the Delhi High Court, which has granted her protection from arrest until a final verdict is reached. However, the police have opposed her bail plea, arguing that it would obstruct their investigation into what they describe as a “deep-rooted conspiracy.” They also expressed concerns that granting bail could damage public trust in the integrity of the civil services examination and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
The UPSC, which conducts the Civil Services exam, has accused Ms. Khedkar of committing “fraud.” The commission claims that she changed her name and surname during one of her 12 attempts to bypass the rules limiting the number of chances a candidate has, depending on specific factors. Ms. Khedkar, however, has denied these allegations, stating that only her middle name was altered and that her identity was verified through biometric data by the UPSC, which did not find her documents to be fake or incorrect.
Ms. Khedkar also contends that the UPSC lacks the authority to revoke her selection, as she had already been appointed as a probationary officer. She argues that only the union government, specifically the Department of Personnel and Training, has the power to take such action.
The case continues to unfold, with the Delhi High Court expected to make a final decision soon. The outcome could have significant implications for the Civil Services examination process and the credibility of the UPSC.
