UPSC Clarifies How Puja Khedkar Managed To Avail More Number Of Attempts Than Permitted

The UPSC revealed that Khedkar’s multiple attempts went undetected due to a flaw in their SOP, which failed to track her changes in name and parents' names, complicating the verification process.

UPSC cancels trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar’s candidature.

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Puja Khedkar’s selection as a trainee IAS officer has been revoked, and she has been permanently barred from taking future examinations after the Commission discovered she falsified her identity to gain multiple attempts. Puja was provisionally recommended for the Civil Services Examination 2022 (CSE-2022). 

In a recent clarification, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) shed light on how Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar managed to avail more attempts than permitted in the Civil Services Examination (CSE) — a revelation that has sparked significant interest.

The UPSC conducted a comprehensive review of the data from over 15,000 finally recommended candidates from 2009 to 2023. The investigation aimed to ensure that all candidates adhered to the rules governing the number of attempts allowed. According to the findings, "barring the case of Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, no other candidate has been found to have availed more number of attempts than permitted under the CSE Rules."

The Commission disclosed that the discrepancy in Khedkar's case was primarily due to a flaw in their Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). The UPSC revealed that the SOP failed to detect Khedkar’s multiple attempts because she had changed not only her name but also her parents' names. This alteration in personal details made it challenging for the system to track her number of attempts accurately.

The UPSC has acknowledged the issue and is taking steps to address it.

"The UPSC is in the process of further strengthening the SOP to ensure that such a case does not recur in the future," the commission said in a notice.

Can't Verify 'Thousands Of' OBC, Disability Certificates: UPSC

The UPSC clarified that its role involves only a preliminary review of certificates, focusing on aspects such as the issuing date, format, relevant year, and confirmation that they come from a competent authority. The Commission said that it neither has the mandate nor the wherewithal to check the veracity of thousands of certificates submitted by the candidates every year.