📷 Image Credits: India Today
The nation is abuzz with the controversy surrounding IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, who has come under fire for allegedly falsifying disability claims to secure her position in the civil services. Puja Khedkar, a 2022 batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, claimed to be visually impaired and mentally ill in her affidavit submitted to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) during the selection process. These claims allowed her to obtain special concessions and secure an All India Rank (AIR) of 841 in the UPSC exams. However, despite her low examination scores, the concessions based on her purported disabilities enabled her to clear the competitive exams and secure her IAS appointment.
The controversy surrounding Khedkar escalated when it was revealed that she had refused to undergo mandatory medical tests to verify her disabilities. Scheduled tests at various medical institutions in Delhi were missed by Khedkar on six separate occasions, casting doubt on the legitimacy of her disability claims. Even though the UPSC challenged her selection due to these discrepancies, Khedkar managed to have her civil service appointment confirmed, raising questions about the integrity of the selection process.
In addition to the disability controversy, inconsistencies have also been found in Khedkar’s claims to Other Backward Class (OBC) non-creamy layer status. Activists and observers have raised concerns about her eligibility for OBC status, given her father’s reported wealth of Rs. 40 crore as per election affidavits. The discrepancies in her claimed disabilities and OBC status have sparked debates about the transparency and fairness of the civil services selection process.
As the scrutiny intensifies, a probe has been launched into Puja Khedkar’s alleged misrepresentation of disabilities and OBC status for her UPSC selection. The controversy surrounding her appointment and conduct as a probationary officer has raised significant questions about the accountability and integrity of the civil services recruitment system in India. Stay tuned to HeadlineFly.com for the latest updates on this developing story.
