Puja Khedkar Dismissed From IAS As Centre Issues Discharge Order After UPSC Bars Her From Future Exams

The Centre has discharged Puja Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) with immediate effect.

This comes after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had on 31 July cancelled Khedkar's provisional candidature and debarred her from future exams.

Khedkar was accused of cheating and misusing OBC and disability quota benefits.

The Centre, vide order dated 6 September 2024, discharged Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service under Rule 12 of IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954, with immediate effect, Times of India reported.

The rules allow the central government to discharge probationers from service if they fail "to pass the re-examination..." or "if the central government is satisfied that the probationer was ineligible for recruitment to the Service or is unsuitable for being a member of the Service", among others.

The UPSC had found her guilty of faking her identity to take the exam multiple times.

In light of the controversy, the UPSC reviewed records of over 15,000 candidates who cleared the IAS screening between 2009 and 2023.

"After this detailed exercise, 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 UPSC had said, referring to the Civil Services Examination Rules.

Khedkar’s troubles started in June when Pune Collector Suhas Diwase raised concerns to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, highlighting her demands for perks like a car, staff, and office, which were not permissible during her probation period.

She was later transferred to Washim.

Amid the row, her selection for IAS came under the spotlight. It was found that she had availed relaxed criteria for OBC candidates and persons with disabilities.

It then came to light that her father, a former Maharashtra government officer, had property to the tune of Rs 40 crore and she did not qualify for the OBC non-creamy layer tag.

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