NEW DELHI/PUNE: The central govt has sacked controversial IAS probationer Puja Manorama Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), just over a month after the UPSC cancelled her provisional candidature for Civil Services Examination 2022 (CSE) for fraudulently availing of exam attempts more than the permissible limit by faking her identity.
Rule 12 of the IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954, allows the central govt to discharge an IAS probationer, after holding a summary enquiry, if it is satisfied that the probationer was ineligible for recruitment to the service or is unsuitable for being a member of the service.
Khedkar faked ID, exceeded cap of 9 shots at CSE
"Vide order dated 6th September, 2024 the Central Government discharges Ms Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar , IAS Probationer (MH:2023), from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) under Rule 12 of IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954, with immediate effect," sources in the department of personnel and training (DoPT) informed TOI on Saturday.
On July 31, the UPSC had cancelled Khedkar's candidature for CSE 2022, based on which she had been recommended to the IAS, on the ground that she had exceeded the nine CSE attempts permissible in her category - OBC and person with benchmark disability (PwBD) - by faking her identity. It had also permanently debarred her from all future examinations or selections of UPSC.
As per findings of the single-member committee set up by DoPT on July 11 to probe the complaint referred to it by Maharashtra govt, particularly allegations that she may have misrepresented her caste and disability status, as well as UPSC's own inquiry, Khedkar had exhausted her maximum permissible attempts at CSE (nine for OBC and PwBD category) between 2012 And 2020 itself.
It was concluded that Khedkar was ineligible to be a candidate for CSE-2022, which was the year of her selection and appointment to the lAS. Therefore, she was also ineligible to be recruited to the Indian Administrative Service, said an officer.
TOI made repeated attempts to call Puja Khedkar and her father Dilip Khedkar, a retired senior Maharashtra govt officer, on Saturday to seek their comments on the development but their phones were switched off. Messages sent to them on the phone evoked no response till the time of going to press.
Khedkar was served a show-cause notice on July 18 based on the findings and a criminal case filed against her for having forged her identity papers and misrepresenting facts to obtain extra attempts at CSE. After she failed to file her response despite an extended deadline till July 30, UPSC on July 31 announced its decision to cancel her candidature for CSE-2022 and also debarred her from appearing for any future selections or examinations conducted by it.
The final nail in the coffin came on Friday, with the Centre sacking her from IAS with immediate effect for being ineligible for recruitment to the service.
Khedkar's alleged lies as a CSE applicant about her as well as her parents' credentials, had recently led UPSC to prescribe Aadhaar authentication, though voluntary, of candidates appearing for all its examinations.
As regards the complaints relating to the submission of false certificates (specifically OBC & PwBD categories) are concerned, the UPSC had clarified that it does only a preliminary scrutiny of the certificates viz. whether it was issued by the competent authority, the year to which the certificate pertains, issuing date of the certificate, whether there is any overwriting on the certificate, format of the certificate etc. Generally, the certificate is taken as genuine, if it has been issued by the competent authority, it had claimed.
Rule 12 of the IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954, allows the central govt to discharge an IAS probationer, after holding a summary enquiry, if it is satisfied that the probationer was ineligible for recruitment to the service or is unsuitable for being a member of the service.
Khedkar faked ID, exceeded cap of 9 shots at CSE
"Vide order dated 6th September, 2024 the Central Government discharges Ms Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar , IAS Probationer (MH:2023), from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) under Rule 12 of IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954, with immediate effect," sources in the department of personnel and training (DoPT) informed TOI on Saturday.
On July 31, the UPSC had cancelled Khedkar's candidature for CSE 2022, based on which she had been recommended to the IAS, on the ground that she had exceeded the nine CSE attempts permissible in her category - OBC and person with benchmark disability (PwBD) - by faking her identity. It had also permanently debarred her from all future examinations or selections of UPSC.
As per findings of the single-member committee set up by DoPT on July 11 to probe the complaint referred to it by Maharashtra govt, particularly allegations that she may have misrepresented her caste and disability status, as well as UPSC's own inquiry, Khedkar had exhausted her maximum permissible attempts at CSE (nine for OBC and PwBD category) between 2012 And 2020 itself.
It was concluded that Khedkar was ineligible to be a candidate for CSE-2022, which was the year of her selection and appointment to the lAS. Therefore, she was also ineligible to be recruited to the Indian Administrative Service, said an officer.
TOI made repeated attempts to call Puja Khedkar and her father Dilip Khedkar, a retired senior Maharashtra govt officer, on Saturday to seek their comments on the development but their phones were switched off. Messages sent to them on the phone evoked no response till the time of going to press.
Khedkar was served a show-cause notice on July 18 based on the findings and a criminal case filed against her for having forged her identity papers and misrepresenting facts to obtain extra attempts at CSE. After she failed to file her response despite an extended deadline till July 30, UPSC on July 31 announced its decision to cancel her candidature for CSE-2022 and also debarred her from appearing for any future selections or examinations conducted by it.
The final nail in the coffin came on Friday, with the Centre sacking her from IAS with immediate effect for being ineligible for recruitment to the service.
Khedkar's alleged lies as a CSE applicant about her as well as her parents' credentials, had recently led UPSC to prescribe Aadhaar authentication, though voluntary, of candidates appearing for all its examinations.
As regards the complaints relating to the submission of false certificates (specifically OBC & PwBD categories) are concerned, the UPSC had clarified that it does only a preliminary scrutiny of the certificates viz. whether it was issued by the competent authority, the year to which the certificate pertains, issuing date of the certificate, whether there is any overwriting on the certificate, format of the certificate etc. Generally, the certificate is taken as genuine, if it has been issued by the competent authority, it had claimed.
