Puja Khedkar claims UPSC doesn't have power to disqualify her
PTC News Desk: Former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, who has been accused of cheating and wrongfully obtaining OBC (Other Backward Class) and disability quota benefits, has told the Delhi High Court that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which administers the civil services exam, has no authority to disqualify her.
Puja Khedkar's candidature was cancelled by the UPSC last month, and she is no longer eligible to take future exams. The Commission claimed she fabricated information in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022, in order to qualify for reservation benefits.
"Once selected and appointed as a Probationary Officer, UPSC does not have the power to disqualify the candidature," Puja Khedkar stated in a response filed before the court on the UPSC's charges against her.
She stated that the Central Government's Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) is now the sole authority to take action against her.
UPSC claims that Puja Khedkar took the uber-competitive qualifying test more than six times, which is the maximum number allowed for a general category candidate. She did so by changing her and her parents' names, which is why the Commission claimed it could not detect the violation.
Puja Khedkar, on the other hand, denied the charges, claiming that her name or surname had not changed between 2012 and 2022. She further stated that she had not provided any incorrect information about herself to the UPSC.
"UPSC verified my identity using biometric data. The Commission determined that my documents were not fraudulent or incorrect. My educational certificate, Aadhaar card, date of birth, and other personal information were found to be completely accurate," she informed the court.
"All the necessary verifications were also done by DoPT. As per DoPT, a medical board constituted by AIIMS conducted my medical examination. The board found my disability to be up to 47% and more than the 40% disability required for the PwBD (Person with Benchmark Disability) category," she added.
- With inputs from agencies
