The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) announced on Thursday that it has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against IAS probationer Puja Khedkar for “faking her identity to fraudulently avail attempts beyond the permissible limit.” Additionally, the Commission has issued her a showcause notice regarding the cancellation of her selection and a potential ban from future examinations.
Khedkar, 32, began her probationary training at the Pune Collectorate in June 2024. She is accused of misusing the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Persons With Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) quotas to pass the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
Earlier this week, the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) halted her ‘district training programme’ and recalled her to the academy from Washim, where she was continuing her training after being transferred from Pune.
The current controversy began when Suhas Diwase, the Collector of Pune, submitted a report detailing Khedkar’s unsuitable demands for privileged treatment. Furthermore, her parents have been implicated by the police in an unrelated incident from June 2023.
The UPSC stated that its investigation revealed Khedkar had violated rules by changing her name, her parents’ names, her photograph/signature, her email ID, mobile number and address to fraudulently increase her exam attempts.
“As a result, the UPSC has initiated several actions against her, including criminal prosecution by filing an FIR with the police and issuing a show cause notice for the cancellation of her candidature and debarment from future examinations/selections, in accordance with the Rules of the Civil Services Examination-2022,” according to the statement.
The Commission emphasised that it conducts all its processes with the highest due diligence, ensuring the sanctity and integrity of its examinations with utmost fairness and strict adherence to rules.