The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Wednesday cancelled the provisional candidature of Puja Khedkar and permanently debarred her from all future exams and selections. Khedkar was found to have fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit by faking her identity.

On July 18, the UPSC issued a show cause notice (SCN) to Khedkar, directing her to respond by July 25. She requested an extension until August 4 to collect the required documents, but the UPSC granted her time only until July 30, stating that no further extensions would be allowed. Despite the extension, Khedkar failed to submit her explanation within the prescribed time.

After carefully examining the available records, the UPSC found Khedkar guilty of violating the provisions of the CSE-2022 Rules. Consequently, her provisional candidature for the CSE-2022 has been cancelled, and she has been permanently debarred from all future UPSC examinations.

In light of this case, the UPSC reviewed the data of over 15,000 candidates who cleared the civil services exam between 2009 and 2023. Except for Khedkar’s case, no other candidate was found to have availed more attempts than permitted under the CSE Rules.

Khedkar managed to exceed the permissible attempts by changing her name and her parents’ names, thereby circumventing the Commission’s standard operating procedure (SOP). The UPSC is now working on further strengthening the SOP to prevent such cases in the future.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Wednesday reserved the order on an anticipatory bail plea moved by Khedkar following an FIR filed against her for allegedly faking her identity to fraudulently avail attempts beyond the permissible limit in the civil services examination. Khedkar claims in her bail application that she has been wrongly accused and that no prima facie offence is made out against her based on the contents of the FIR.

(With ANI input)