Pune: Puja Khedkar’s multiple exam attempts and misbehavior leads to permanent disqualification
Pune: Puja Khedkar, a Central Public Service Commission trainee IAS officer from the Other Backward Classes (OBC), took the exam 12 times despite being allowed only 9 attempts. She managed this by changing her own name, as well as her father’s and mother’s names, for different attempts.
Khedkar’s misbehavior extended beyond the Pune Collectorate to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, where she received eight memos for misconduct. Due to her deliberate misrepresentation and malpractice during training, it has been decided to permanently disqualify her from appearing in the UPSC exam.
The Department of Personnel and Training revealed that Khedkar cheated the UPSC by applying under the OBC category and using different names. While allowed only 9 attempts, she managed to take the exam 12 times by altering the names of herself, her father, and her mother.
Multiple Name Changes
Khedkar used various names:
She appeared as Khedkar Puja Diliprao nine times and as Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar three times.
Her father’s name was changed to Khedkar Diliprao Kondiba seven times, Khedkar Dilip K twice, Dilip Khedkar once, and Dilip K. Khedkar once.
Her mother’s name was altered to Khedkar Manorama Diliprao four times, Budhwant Manorama Jagannath three times, Budhwant Manorama twice, and Manorama Budhwant three times.
Non-Criminal Certificate Benefit
The notice mentioned that Puja Khedkar obtained a non-criminal certificate from the OBC category in 2022. However, questions arose about her eligibility, as her father, Dilip Khedkar, retired as a Class 1 officer from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, making it unlikely for their annual income to be below 8 lakhs. Additionally, the notice clarified that Khedkar’s selection as an IAS officer in 2022 was from the sub-category of the specially-disabled category of the multi-disabled category.
The state government’s report concluded that Puja Khedkar is unfit to serve as an IAS officer due to her serious misconduct.
