Opinion: IAS Puja Khedkar Row Questions Integrity Of UPSC; Shows Uber-Competitive Exam Can Be Rigged

For the past few years, incidents of paper leaks have become common. Lakhs of students suffer due to this, many lose hope, many opportunities due to age limits and exam cancellation and many stare at an uncertain future. The paper leak issue gained prominence after Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh witnessed multiple exam leaks within a shorter span of time and it peaked when the prestigious medical entrance exam NEET-UG paper was leaked in Bihar and exam centres were managed in Gujarat and Haryana. 

After NEET, the NET-UG exams came under the scanner for paper leak, the recent incident of an IAS selection has raised serious question marks on the integrity of the prestigious Union Public Service Commission. The selection of Puja Khedkar has raised some serious questions not only on the UPSC exam but also on the panel which interviewed her and the official who issued a joining later to her overriding CAT ruling. The puja Khedkar incident shows that even the UPSC exam can be rigged and compromised. It also shows that politicians and ex-civil servants can influence the interview of desired candidates. 

RTI replies obtained by a Maharashtra activist expose Puja Khedkar's selection at multiple levels. Her claim of falling into the OBC non-creamy layer is also under question. She is also accused of changing her OBC category. As per RTI replies, his father Dilip Khedkar, a retired government official, has assets of over Rs 40 crore. Even Puja Khedkar has assets worth Rs 22 crore and an annual income of Rs 42 lakh, way higher than the non-creamy layer's limit of Rs 8 lakh.

IAS officer Puja Khedkar's parents, having a non-creamy layer certificate, possess property that includes 110 acres of agricultural land, violating the Agricultural Land Ceiling Act, 6 shops (1.6 lakh sq ft), 7 flats, including one in Hiranandani; 900 grams of gold, diamonds, a… pic.twitter.com/V9u1P5CQ0O — Vijay Kumbhar (@VijayKumbhar62) July 11, 2024

Coming to her disability claims. In 2021, she was selected as Assistant Director in sport authority in OBC PwBD 1 but in 2023, she mysteriously changed her category PwBD1 to PwBD5 which she used to get selected as IAS. She is facing allegations of fudging her Physical Disability certificate in connivance with state government officials using his father's influence.

2. In 2021, Pooja selected as Assistant Director in sport authority in OBC PwBD 1 but in 2023, she mysteriously chanced her category 4m PwBD1 to PwBD5 & got selected as IAS. pic.twitter.com/IZJNdT1JqC — The Story Teller (@IamTheStory__) July 10, 2024

While news interviews and viral videos of her mock interviews show that she is completely fine, Khedkar claimed that she of visually impaired and mentally ill. Civil services are prestigious posts and the IAS officers often deal with many critical situations including riots and stone pelting which requires quick decision making. How can a person claiming to be mentally ill become suitable for such a post? The Centre needs to revise the disability criteria for selections in the civil services. It's also being alleged that of the six medical tests scheduled at AIIMS Delhi to ascertain her disability, Khedkar half-attended only the sixth and skipped the earlier five giving different reasons. She also did not go under the MRI test to ascertain her visual impairment. 

It seems that a mysterious hand is working all the time supporting her selection. The 32-year-old IAS officer got 841 rank in the civil services exam under the OBC-PwBD5 quota. While only those securing a rank till 180 get an IAS posting, Puja Khedkar mysteriously got the IAS post despite a very low rank. Since she did not complete all required steps including the medical test, the UPSC had challenged her selection before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). The CAT even ruled against her in February 2023. Yet she got a joining letter months later. This allegedly shows that some UPSC insiders helped her despite the CAT ruling bypassing the government. It is being alleged that her father Dilip Khedkar used his influence with the support of some big politicians. 

The allocation of the IAS posting to Khedkar, who allegedly deceived the system about her economic background and misrepresented her health, has brought shock to lakhs of students who work extremely hard every year in seclusion sacrificing their family time, their social life despite failures waiting for their next attempt until they exhaust all options. 

The Khedkar episode will reveal the true face of the government - will she be sacked and booked for fraud if found guilty or is she only offered punishment posting?  Her selection and the allegations surrounding her is a test case for the government. Since the issue has shot to the limelight due to constant media coverage, the government has appointed a single-member panel to look into the allegations. However, the data available in the public domain prima facie shows she did her best to game the system and succeeded in her attempt. Now, it's up to the government to bring the truth to the fore and restore the credibility of the UPSC which is under scanner.